Plane Crash
by Poohbear-29
Summary: A plane crash leaves Steve at the mercy of the elements and a killer while the others try to find him in time for Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

Title-Plane Crash

Author-Winnie

Rating-T

Disclaimer-I own no rights to Hawaii Five-0 or the characters, but I do enjoy playing around in this sandbox

Comments-This story takes place in Season 1...so no Lori. Steve is asked to help out the Navy and winds up alone with a killer after their plane crashes in Waimea Canyon. This is also a Christmas fic so hope you enjoy.

Steve knew the man in the next seat was dangerous, but when Admiral Heraldo called and asked him to escort the sonofabitch back to Hawaii, there was no way he could turn him down. The plane was a small one, with only two double rows of seats that meant it could carry 16 passengers at the most.

Steve glanced at the man whose right hand was cuffed to the seat and knew he wasn't sleeping. The sonofabitch was cool, but that too was an act, because they had him dead to rights in the murder of a young Navy lieutenant who had testified against him for dealing in illegal weapons and drugs. The woman had been raped and murdered, her body discarded like some piece of garbage at a dump in Mexico. Danny, Chin, and Kono would meet them at the airport and escort the prisoner to the Naval base where Admiral Heraldo and his men would take charge of him. Renaldo Garcia was a lowlife, but he was also a dangerous man with connections in every port, so they'd asked Steve to bring the bastard in as low key as possible.

"Excuse me, Commander, would you like more coffee?"

"No, thanks, how long before we land?" McGarrett asked, relieved that there were no other passengers on board.

"We're 30 minutes behind schedule, and the captain is making a change of course because of some bad weather closer to Hawaii," Deanna Morris answered.

"Bad weather? I'm pretty sure there was nothing but sunny skies in the forecast," McGarrett told her. He'd checked the weather channel himself because of the plans he'd made with the rest of his team for Christmas Day. Danny would have Grace for two weeks while Rachel and Stan spent time with his family and he wanted to make this special for her by having a Christmas celebration at his house. The report had confirmed it would be hot and sunny, but Steve had made arrangements that he hoped would make Danny feel a little more at home. It involved fake snow and air conditioning, but if it worked then it would be well worth the time and energy involved.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you've heard that old saying about the weather."

"What old saying is that?"

"Whether it is or whether it's not...we will have weather whether or not. It's something my mother used to say all the time," the woman said and glanced at the man seated next to the commander. "Is he dangerous?"

"Yes, he is," McGarrett told her. "You know, if that coffee is fresh I'll take one after all."

"Sure, Commander..."

"Hey, Pretty Lady, I'd like one of those coffees too," Renaldo Garcia said and made a show of stretching his upper body.

"Commander?" the woman asked.

"Might as well bring him one," McGarrett said and turned to the man beside him once she left. "Try anything and you'll spend the rest of the flight with your head up your ass."

"For a naval officer you're rather crude."

"Why waste my good side on garbage," McGarrett snapped.

"Garbage?" Garcia said with a grin. "No, garbage was that nice little piece of ass..."

"Shut the fuck up!" McGarrett snarled and elbowed the man in the gut, pleased to hear the man groaning as the flight attendant returned.

"Is something wrong with him, Commander?"

"No, just a bad case of indigestion...struck him rather fast so he's decided coffee is off the menu," McGarrett said and took the cup from the woman.

"Are you sure he's okay?"

"He's fine...he doesn't deserve your concern, Deanna."

"Is it true what they said about him? That he raped and murdered that poor woman?"

"Yes, it is," McGarrett answered and frowned when he felt an abrupt change in the plane's engines.

"Deanna, get your seat belt on!" the captain's voice came from the cockpit as the plane seemed to veer to the right and began losing altitude.

"Oh, My God," the flight attendant said and made the sign of the cross as she fastened the seat belt and looked toward the man on her right. "Make sure you tuck your head between your legs."

"I will," McGarrett said and smiled at her. He knew this was real, but he wanted to convey an air of confidence that he didn't really feel. Steve heard the sounds around him as if through muddy water, yet there was no mistaking the sound of a plane in distress. Garcia was shouting obscenities, and Steve was pretty sure the man had wet his pants as the aircraft continued its downward journey. He glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of land in the distance as the pilot struggled to pull the nose up without stalling the plane.

Steve was amazed at the thoughts running through his head as the sky beyond the window seemed a blue more vivid than ever before. He thought of Danny and how he would never know the plans Steve had made for Christmas; of Kono and how he would never see her reach her full potential, and finally to Chin and hoped the man would stay with Five-O.

Steve heard the woman's soft prayers as the plane continued its downward spiral. His stomach churned, but he wouldn't give in to the nausea as he stared through the window. The land was closer now, closer than he thought possible as the pilot continued his fight to regain control.

"Come on, McGarrett, unlock the fucking cuffs!" Garcia snarled.

"No," the SEAL said.

"Come on...if we're going to die I should have a chance..."

"Did you give Donna Sterling a chance?"

"Fuck you!"

"Shut up!" McGarrett warned as the pilot got the nose up slightly and the plane seemed to level off, but it was short lived as he heard a grinding sound and the air craft skimmed over the tree tops, shearing off the higher ones as it fought to stay in the air. Steve felt his hands gripping the seat as a shudder ran through the frame and the sound seemed deafening as the pilot lost his fight to keep from crashing.

"We're going to die!" Garcia screamed.

Steve felt his body rocked by the sheer velocity as the top of hundred-year-old trees were sheared off. He'd seen planes after a crash and had time to think that they might have been better off with a water landing before the plane crashed through the barrier and hit the ground hard. The seat belt seemed stretched to the limit, but he bounced back in his seat, his head snapping forward again as the craft continued along a course that tore off it's wings and threw the passengers around like rag dolls in a hurricane, until it came to a stop near the edge of a deep gorge.

There was no sound from the occupants of the plane and nothing moved except for the wind through the trees. The animals and birds were silent, but as time passed, the sounds returned and a single bird landed on the broken wing as if watching over the unmoving bodies sprawled across what ws left of the interior.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Danny Williams paced in front of the windows, shaking his head each time he glanced at the screens heralding the arrival of another flight from the mainland or from overseas. The problem was there'd been nothing on Steve's flight since it went dark nearly 30 minutes ago. Chin and Kono were checking with customer service, but something told him they would not find any answers there.

Danny glanced at his phone, surprised when he saw a number he didn't recognize. He hit the button and began to speak. "Williams."

"Detective Danny Williams?"

"Yes, least I was the last time I checked," Danny said. "Who is this?"

"Admiral Raymond Heraldo with Naval Intelligence."

"The same Admiral Heraldo who asked Steve to escort a prisoner back here?"

"Yes, I'm afraid there's been trouble, but I can't say anything over the phone. I need to speak with you and the others ASAP," Heraldo said.

"Where?"

"My office."

"We'll be there in half an hour," Williams said once Heraldo told him where his office was located. He spotted Chin and Kono coming toward them and motioned for them to follow.

"What's wrong, Danny?" Kono asked.

"Heraldo just called. He wants to see us in his office."

"Does this have something to do with Steve?"

"He said there was trouble, but he wouldn't go into it over the phone," Williams answered as they hurried out of the airport. Kono had ridden in the car with him while Chin had taken his motorcycle. Danny quickly gave Kelly the directions before hurrying toward his Camaro.

"Danny, did the admiral give you any indication of what kind of trouble?"

"No," Williams said. "But the bastard Steve was bringing in was a real piece of work. He's involved in drugs, weapons and just about anything illegal. Steve told me he agreed to escort Garcia back here to face murder charges involving a navy lieutenant who was raped and murdered and left in a dump in Mexico. Supposedly they had an iron clad case against him, but they've said that before. Every time they find a witness he or she winds up dead."

"Sounds like a real winner. Why did Steve agree to do this anyway?" Kono asked.

"Steve knew the bastard's reputation and he did it as a favor to Admiral Heraldo," Williams said and drove out of the airport.

**5050505050 **

Opening his eyes hadn't been the smartest idea Steve ever had, but at least he knew he was alive, because there was no way in hell it hurt this much to be dead. He blinked several times, waiting for the world to come into focus before shifting his weight and sitting up. He ignored the pain that told him he was battered and bruised, but that nothing seemed to be broken. It took several seconds to realize he couldn't move his right arm, and he knew the reason was far worse than if it was broken.

"Welcome back, McGarrett!" the sentence was punctuated by a kick to Steve's left knee as the man moved to stand in front of him, waving McGarrett's pistol as he spoke. "Imagine my surprise at waking up to find the handcuffs had come free of the seat. I must be the luckiest bastard in the world because I landed on that chute they use if you crash. It must have opened on impact and just before we stopped I landed on it. Isn't that a kick in the ass? Now, why don't you just sit there while I get some shit together. We're getting out of here."

"Where are the pilot and flight attendant?" McGarrett asked.

"I'm afraid they weren't so lucky. The pilot died on impact. Darlene was alive, but I put her out of her misery. Shame too...she was a nice piece of ass for a while, but she outlived her usefulness," Garcia told him and smiled as he showed McGarrett a picture of him and Darlene Morris. "I met Darlene a couple of years ago...the pilot was also a friend of mine. Stupid sonofabitch wasn't supposed to crash the damn plane though. We were supposed to land on Kaho'olawe, and hold up there until Martinez got there. This doesn't look like Kaho'olawe, but I could be wrong."

Steve glared at the man and tried to stand, but Garcia kicked his knee and he felt blood dripping down his leg. He shifted his upper body and realized he was sitting inside the plane, in the cabin part where he'd been seated with his prisoner, and his right wrist was handcuffed to the frame. The problem was, now their roles were reversed and he was no longer in control, at least that was what he was letting Garcia think until the time was right.

"This changes nothing, McGarrett! Not where you're concerned anyway. You're going to die, it's just going to have to wait until you get me out of here," Garcia told him.

"Sure thing, Renaldo, take off the cuffs and I'll gladly lead you out of here," the SEAL said with a sarcastic grin.

"You don't need your hands to walk, McGarrett, so the cuffs stay put until I get supplies together," Garcia said. "Now you just relax and I'll get everything I need for a long walk. Oh, I'll get you the first aid kit so you can take care of your leg. Wouldn't want you to bleed to death before I'm ready to kill you."

Steve ignored the man's ramblings and closed his eyes in an effort to ease the throbbing ache in his skull. He knew he'd hit his head and used his left hand to touch it, not surprised when he saw blood on them. During the crash he'd struck his head, but he wasn't queasy and right now he took that as a good sign. He looked at the first aid kit when it landed by his feet and reached for it with his left hand.

"Don't think there's anything in there you can use against me, McGarrett. I'm not stupid," Garcia snarled.

"Could have fooled me," the head of Five-O spat and received a kick to his lower back when Garcia walked toward the back of the plane. Steve tried pulling on the cuffs attached to his right wrist, but Garcia had made sure it was locked tight while the other end was wrapped around a piece of the fuselage. A piece that was too big for him to move and he knew he needed to take care of his leg while taking stock in what other injuries he might have before Garcia returned.

Steve ripped his pant leg and winced when he saw the damage done to his left leg. A deep laceration started near his knee and continued down for approximately three inches, the bleeding had slowed, but he knew that would not stop unless the wound was stitched closed. That was not about to happen while Garcia was in charge. He reached for the supplies inside the kit and grabbed several thick gauze pads and several alcohol wipes. He cleaned the wound as best he could and then pressed the gauze against the it. He needed to secure the bandage, but it was hard to do anything with one hand, yet he wasn't going to ask Garcia for help.

Steve looked into the kit and found a roll of surgical tape. He used his teeth to tear a long strip from the role and gritted his teeth as he bent his left leg and wrapped the tape around the wound. He repeated it several times until he was sure the bandage would stay in place. It wouldn't stop the bleeding, but at least it would keep it clean until he got to help.

"Well, McGarrett, I hope you're ready to walk, because I'm pretty sure we've got a long walk ahead of us. Now, here's what happens next," Garcia said and sat on a seat that seemed remarkably intact. "I'm going to toss you the key to those cuffs and you're going to release your right hand. Then you're going to put your hands behind your back and lock your hands together. Now I know you'll be tempted to try something, but I know how to use a gun and I won't hesitate to shoot you. Understood?"

"Understood," McGarrett said and knew he had little choice, but to do as Garcia said and wait for a better opportunity. He waited for the man to throw the key to him and caught it with his left hand. He quickly inserted it into the opening, staring at his captor and watching for any opening, but Garcia remained where he was with the gun pointed directly at his chest. At this distance there was no way the man could miss.

"Hurry, Commander, we have a few hours before it gets too dark to move so please, let's not waste time," Garcia said.

Steve put his arms behind his back and locked the cuff around his wrist. He stood up, wincing when he put weight on his injured leg as Garcia chuckled softly.

"Turn around."

"What for?"

"I don't trust you, McGarrett," Garcia said and motioned with the gun until his prisoner did as he ordered. He pressed the gun into the back of McGarrett's neck and checked the cuffs, making them a little tighter and smiled when it resulted in a muffled curse from his prisoner. "Now then, McGarrett, let's get moving shall we."

Steve turned a heated glare at the man behind him, but knew he had to wait for the right time to attack. He stepped outside; squinting as the bright sunlight shone down on him and hoped his team had triangulated his position using his cell phone signal.

"Oh, before you get too excited I should tell you I destroyed your cell phone so don't go expecting any rescue on that front, but don't worry, I took Darlene's so when we get out of this mess I'll be able to contact my people and get the hell out of this hellish paradise of yours," Garcia said.

Steve silently cursed the man as he looked around and tried to get a fix on where they were. It was obvious they hadn't crashed on Kaho'olawe, but that didn't eliminate the other islands. He looked in every direction as Garcia shouldered the heavy backpack and stepped out of what was left of the plane.

"So, McGarrett, any idea where we are?"

"No," the Seal answered and turned a heated glare on the man as he shoved him.

"Well, you better get moving and find us a way out of here," Garcia warned.

Steve knew there was nothing else he could do and started forward. He picked his way along a rough trail that headed southwest and hoped this was the easiest way out of the gorge they'd crash-landed in. He limped, trying his best to keep the weight off his left leg as the sun beat down on them.

**5050505050 **

Danny, Chin, and Kono hurried into the building and were quickly shown to Heraldo's office. The man was in the middle of a phone call and motioned for them to take a seat.

Seated behind a large Mahogany desk, Admiral Raymond Herald was an imposing man. His dark hair was peppered with grey, his eyes a deep shade of blue that were filled with anger as he spoke gruffly into the phone. His broad shoulders and heavily muscled chest spoke of heavy-duty workouts with weights. He slammed the phone down and looked at the trio seated in his office.

"Trouble, Admiral?" Williams asked.

"There's always trouble in my line of work, Detective," Heraldo told him. "I'm afraid it's been confirmed and the stupid bastard watching the screen has no idea where Commander McGarrett's plane went down..."

"Wait...what? Steve's plane went down?" Kono was the first to voice her fears.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. We know where he was supposed to be, but there was a storm earlier and it looks like they flew right into it. We have an approximate location, and search and rescue is in the air."

"But?" Chin asked.

"But we could be barking up the wrong tree."

"Can't you get a fix on the transponder?" Williams asked.

"We should, but it seems to have malfunctioned," Heraldo answered.

"What about cell phones? Can you get a fix on his cell phone?"

"We've tried. Believe me we've tried everything. That's what the damn call was about. I wanted them to go over everything again," Heraldo said.

"So the plane crashed, the transponder doesn't work, and no way to trace the cell phones," Williams said. "Sounds like someone on the inside had something to do with this."

"We've done background checks on the captain and the flight attendant, but there were no red flags," the admiral said.

"Sometimes red flags show up on the wrong people while they don't show up on the people they should be on," Chin told him.

"I know that and that's why my people are still working on it."

"It's a bit late for that now isn't it?" Williams asked sarcastically.

"Commander McGarrett is trained to deal with whatever happens. You may not believe this, but Steve is the best I've ever seen and I'm not just saying that to ease your worries. He's good..."

"We know how good he is. Hell, I've seen him move after a rock hit him in the head and he fell off a cliff, but that doesn't mean he's indestructible. If that plane went down then his training won't help him."

"It will if he survived..."

"That's the thing isn't it? If he survived," Williams spat and stood up. "I've seen the results of small plane crashes and it's not pretty. If it went down in the water and he's hurt it'll be hard to survive, but if it was on land...let's just say it's an even harder landing."

"I know, Detective, and I understand your anger, but you have to understand that Steve had a job to do and he'll do it to the best of his abilities, even if it means..."

"Certain death," Williams snapped. "Believe me I know that and I admire him for it, but there comes a time when a man...even a man who has the characteristics of Superman, needs to realize he's human and he bleeds just like the rest of us."

"If he does that then his survival instincts drop and he needs them in some of the assignments he takes," Heraldo said. "Look, I asked you here because Steve speaks very highly of each of you and I figure right now we can use all the help we can get in searching for him. Will you help?"

"What do you want us to do?" Chin asked, and listened as the Admiral outlined what the Navy was doing and what he wanted from them. It wasn't much, but Chin knew Five-O had some contacts Heraldo might not know about.

**5050505050 **

Steve stumbled several times, and heard Garcia chuckling each time. He knew he had to make the man believe he was out of his game, and made it look far worse than it was. His leg throbbed, but this was like a walk in the park compared to some of the assignments he'd been on. They'd been walking for over an hour, through lush undergrowth and he glanced skyward at the tall trees that blocked out the hot sun.

McGarrett heard the man behind him drinking something, and wasn't surprised that the man didn't offer it to him. He stopped and looked up at the steep climb ahead of them before turning back to his captor. The man was happily drinking water from a bottle, but stopped when Steve pointed up the slope.

"What are you waiting for, McGarrett? There's not going to be a personal invitation here so get on with it," Garcia ordered.

"I need my hands to climb," the SEAL told him.

"All right, but you'll put them back on with your hands in front of you."

"I need both hands."

"And you'll have both hands, they'll just have to move together," Garcia said and tossed the keys at McGarrett's feet. He was smart enough to know he needed to stay away from his prisoner to keep from being surprised. He also needed to stay to the right or left once they started climbing, because he wouldn't put it past the man to simply throw himself back down if it meant taking him out.

Steve did as he was told before throwing the keys back to his captor and turned back to the 'trail'. It was rough going and he grabbed at whatever he could to keep from sliding back the few feet he'd managed to cover. Garcia was being careful and staying to the left as he climbed toward the top. Steve bit back a moan as his left leg gave out, and grabbed at a twisted root, relieved when it held his weight.

"The mighty SEAL is like a fish out of water," Garcia said and laughed when the other man didn't even acknowledge his jibe.

Steve knew Garcia was baiting him, and ignored the man as he grabbed another root and dragged himself up another few feet. He glanced up and realized he hadn't even covered half the distance, and his leg throbbed each time he was forced to put weight on it. Several times he'd barely kept from sliding back down the slope, but managed to grab onto whatever was within arm's reach. The sun was quickly drying up the rain and he wiped the sweat from his eyes as he heard a muffled curse from his nemesis. He turned his head slightly to see the man shift the pack he carried before starting upward again.

McGarrett returned his attention to finishing the climb, but he knew the next part was even more treacherous. There were no more roots to grab on to, leaving him no choice, but to grab anything that would keep him from winding up at the bottom once more. He grabbed for a rock, and used his right leg to push upward, barely able to keep his footing as loose dirt and stones forced him to slow down.

"Come on, McGarrett, don't tell me a little climb is too much for you," Garcia said from Steve's left, angered when the other man chose to ignore him. He shifted the heavy pack and placed the gun in his belt before tackling the next part of the climb. Once they reached the top, McGarrett would become a pack animal, no sense in letting the man's strength go to waste.

Steve ignored the man as he neared the top, but it was growing increasingly harder to ignore the throbbing pain in his left leg. He knew the wound was bleeding again, but right now his focus had to be on getting to the top. Once there he hoped he could figure out exactly where they were and whether he was royally screwed or only partially that way.

McGarrett had no idea how long it took, but he finally pulled himself over the top and laid on his back in an effort to catch his breath. He could hear the bastard nearby, but he didn't give a damn what the man was saying until Garcia kicked his leg. He barely kept from crying out and cursed his tormentor as he grabbed the injured leg.

"Get on your feet, McGarrett!"

"Go to hell!" the SEAL swore.

"Now, McGarrett, don't tell me a little pain's going to keep you down? I mean you're a SEAL for fuck sake...doesn't that mean anything to you?" Garcia spat, but made sure he was out of the other man's reach. "Come on, we still got a couple of hours of daylight and I'd rather not spend more than one night in the wilds."

Steve managed to sit up and glared at Garcia before checking the wound. The bandage was covered in blood and he knew he needed a new one, but hated the idea of asking his captor for the first aid kit.

"My, my, how the mighty have fallen," Garcia said and opened the pack. "Imagine the big strong SEAL needing something from me. Do you want to beg for it, McGarrett? Don't bother, I won't go there because it would be a waste of time and that's something we don't have a lot of...besides, I doubt you'd beg...probably just let yourself bleed to death. Well, I still need you so get that thing changed and grab the backpack."

Steve took a deep breath and removed the bandage, grabbing another piece of gauze as blood seeped from the ragged wound. He could feel Garcia watching him, but right now he needed to get the wound taken care of before he was forced to walk again.

"There's no time for real care, McGarrett, just slap the bandage on it and lets get moving," Garcia ordered and waited for the man to finish up and get to his feet before tossing the pack at him. "Your turn!"

"Go..."

"To hell. You said that already so just shut up and pick that thing up or I put a bullet in you right now and find my own way out of here!" Garcia snarled.

Steve looked at the pack and then at Garcia before lifting his cuffed hands. "Hard to carry anything with my hands cuffed."

"You're resourceful, McGarrett...so resource," Garcia said with a grin.

Steve knew there was no point in arguing and picked up the pack. It was heavier than it looked, but he managed to get it off the ground and awkwardly held it against his body. He looked around, aware of Garcia watching him and started moving southwest.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chin knew they were looking for a needle in a haystack, but right now the needle they were searching for was in need of their help. Steve was out there, probably hurt, but knowing McGarrett he'd probably find them before they found him.

"Look, Rachel, I know you had plans tonight and I'll be there as soon as I can, but Steve's plane went down...yes, we know the general area, but there's been no transponder signal and the man he was bringing back is a mean SOB," Williams said and shook his head as he listened to his ex-wife. "All right, Rachel, I'll be there in half an hour."

"Go, Danny," Chin said when Williams put the phone back in his pocket.

"Thanks, Chin, keep me up-to-date and I'll be back here in half an hour."

"What about Grace?" Kono asked.

"Are you kidding, Grace loves coming here. She gets to see what Danno does when he's working," Williams said and hurried away.

Chin and Kono looked at each other before returning their attention to what little information they had. So far they'd ruled out the Big Island and several other possibilities, but that still left several places including a large piece of ocean they could have crashed into.

"From the last set of coordinates Heraldo gave us we can pretty well rule out the islands south of us," Chin offered.

"I don't know, Chin. What if Heraldo was right and the captain changed course immediately after they dropped off the radar? They could have turned south, and landed at a remote location. We really can't rule out anything right now," Kono observed.

"Heraldo said he'd have his people concentrate on the route they were supposed to take," Chin said and pointed out the area the Navy Search and Rescue units were checking out. "We need to concentrate on the areas they've dismissed."

"So that means Nihue and Kauai," Kono said and brought up the two islands. "You know Waimea Canyon is a good place to ditch a plane if you don't want to be found."

"I doubt anyone in their right mind would choose to land in the canyon," Chin said.

"There are a couple of places near the canyon where a small plane could land safely."

"I know, but someone would have seen them," Chin told her and zoomed in on the canyon. He was familiar with the area because he'd taken several hikes through the canyon itself and knew if a plane went down it could be hard to find. There were parts of the canyon that were treacherous and unexplored because of the danger. There were also wild animals, snakes, and numerous other hazards that kept most people away. He knew Steve was also familiar with the canyon and if that's where the plane went down, he might recognize his surroundings.

"Maybe we should check into the flight attendant and captain's background. If they were in on it with Garcia then they might have a contact on the island," Kono suggested.

"Good idea...we also need to see if they had cell phones and see if we can turn them on remotely."

"I tried to do that with Steve's cell, but came up empty," Kono explained and began searching for the names they had.

**5050505050 **

Danny pulled the Camaro to a stop in front of Stan and Rachel's home. He was excited about having Grace for the next two weeks while Stan and Rachel took a second honeymoon. It felt like forever since he'd spent that much time with his daughter. Normally he'd be chomping at the bit for their time to start, but Steve's disappearance had put a damper on his excitement.

Williams exited the car, shaking his head at the lack of evidence that Christmas was less than a week away. At the last minute Stan and Rachel had decided to take this trip and as far as he knew they weren't even bothering with a Christmas tree. Not that it mattered to him, because he was more than happy to spend the holidays with Grace.

Danny buzzed the house and waited for Rachel or Stan to answer, smiling when he spotted his daughter hurrying toward him.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, Monkey," Williams said and reached for her when the gate opened. He lifted her into his arms and hugged her while Rachel walked toward him carrying her bag.

"Are we putting up a tree at your house, Danno?"

"Of course we are," Williams answered.

"Hello, Danny, thank you for coming early," Rachel said.

"I'm always happy to spend more time with Grace," Williams said.

"Grace, did you remember to bring your father's Christmas present?"

"No! I'll be right back," Grace said and released her father before hurrying back to the house.

"Has there been any word on Steve's plane?" Rachel asked as they walked to his car.

"Nothing since I talked to you earlier."

"Danny, I'm sorry, but we can't postpone this any longer. Stan's family planned this and he really wants to be there," Rachel explained.

"I understand, Rachel, have fun," Williams said.

"Will you call me and let me know when you have news?"

"I will," Danny assured her, smiling as his daughter returned carrying a bag with several brightly wrapped packages inside.

"I have a present for Uncle Steve, Uncle Chin, and Aunt Kono too," Grace told him.

"What about Kamekona?" Danny asked as he placed the bag in the trunk with her suitcase.

"Him too," Grace said and turned to her Mom. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Sweetheart, but I'll call you and you can call me anytime...day or night. All right?"

"Okay, Mommy," Grace said and hugged her mother before getting into the backseat.

"Merry Christmas, Rachel," Williams said and hugged his ex-wife.

"Merry Christmas, Danny," Rachel said and watched her ex and their daughter drive away.

**5050505050 **

Steve dropped the pack to the ground and leaned on his knees as he waited for Garcia to catch up to him. The man was out of his element and would be going in circles if he was alone, but Steve had recognized the area they were in when they topped a ridge and he spotted a familiar landmark in the distance. It would take them several days to reach the nearest town, because the area they'd crashed in didn't have any real trails.

It was a deep canyon that had wonderful scenery, but was also extremely treacherous if you didn't know the area. His father had taken him here when he was a teenager and they'd spent nearly a week exploring the places where other hikers and sightseers didn't venture. That was where they were now, but even those trails had grown over since the last time he'd ventured out this far.

It would be rough going, but at least he knew there were several places where they could find help. The problem was, Garcia wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who tried to help Steve and he couldn't let that happen.

"Come on, McGarrett, this isn't some pleasure trip. Get us out of here or I'll just shoot you now and find my own way out!"

"Then do it!" the SEAL snapped and whirled on the man holding the gun. "Go ahead, Garcia! Shoot me and I can guarantee you won't make it a mile before a wild boar or a snake or some other animal takes you down!"

"That may be, but at least I'll have the satisfaction of having killed the great Steve McGarrett. Now move!"

Steve turned away from the man and started limping along the edge of a gorge that looked to be over a hundred feet down and littered with broken branches, exposed roots, and rocks. If he was lucky, Garcia would lose his footing, or if he got close enough Steve could just push him, but Garcia was proving to be smarter than he looked. He stayed far enough away that there was no way he could reach the SOB before he fired a shot.

McGarrett held the pack on his right side, cursing the cuffs that encircled his wrists and carefully walked along the edge of the trail. He knew if he fell here there'd be no way he'd survive. That meant Garcia could get lucky and find someone else to help him, and Steve couldn't take that chance, because eventually the civilian would end up dead.

Steve reached the other side and heard Garcia's curse as the man slipped, but caught himself before plunging down into the gorge.

"Move back, McGarrett!"

Steve smiled, but did as he was told and sat on a flat rock as he waited for the other man to reach the end of the trail. He reached into the pack and took out a bottle of water and opened it without a word. He drank half the bottle as Garcia glared at him before he returned it to the pack.

"Leave the pack where it is and move over there and lie down, McGarrett!"

"Why?"

"Because I don't trust you, Idiot! Now do as I said!" Garcia ordered.

Steve moved away from the pack and sat down as Garcia motioned with the gun.

"Lie down on your stomach!"

Again Steve didn't see any choice and lay down on the ground as Garcia moved to the pack. He watched his nemesis take out another water bottle and drink his fill before showing Steve a power bar and smiling.

"Sorry, water you can have because I need you as my pack mule, but food's a different matter," Garcia said and sat on the rock.

McGarrett didn't say anything as Garcia ate the bar. He was hungry, but hunger he could deal with, his training under Joe White had seen to that. The man had done everything he could to train Steve's SEAL team for every contingency and for that Steve would be forever grateful. It had saved his life on more occasions than he could remember and taught him how to ignore the baser needs of his body.

"That wasn't too bad," Garcia said and stood up. He stretched his back and rotated his shoulders, all the while keeping his eyes on the man lying on the ground. McGarrett may seem passive, but he knew that was far from the truth, and he'd learned long ago never to underestimate people like the SEAL. "All right, McGarrett, let's see if we can get another mile or so before it gets dark."

Steve moved to stand up and saw his chance as Garcia turned his back slightly. He dove at the man and sent them both toward the edge of the gorge, but wasn't quite fast enough to send Garcia to his death. He grabbed for Garcia's hand, keeping the gun pointed away from his face and was shocked because his foe was stronger than he looked. They fought for control, rolling across the ground changing positions on several occasions, while Garcia kept his grip on the gun.

McGarrett ignored the pain that shot through his leg when Garcia managed to bring his knee up and lash out against the wound.

"I should have k...killed you when I...when I had the fucking chance!" Garcia managed.

Steve didn't bother answering as he struck the man several times, but it was hard to put any real force into the blow while fighting in close quarters. Garcia pushed with both hands while bringing his legs up and managed to dislodge Steve as he rolled away. McGarrett tried to get to his feet, but his injured leg gave out and he turned just as Garcia lifted the gun and struck him in the side of the head. Darkness reached out for him, but he knew to give in to it would mean he was at Garcia's mercy again.

Steve managed to get his hands under him, but before he could stand, Garcia kicked his injured leg and he bit back a muffled cry of pain as he landed on the ground. He stayed where he was, ignoring the sound of his weapon being readied and silently apologized to Danny for adding to his hatred of Hawaii and ruining Christmas for him and for Grace.

"That was a stupid move you sonofabitch! Now we're stuck here because you had to go all macho on me!" Garcia said and punctuated each word with a kick to Steve's upper body.

Steve didn't bother to answer as pain seemed to be the only thing he could focus on. He closed his eyes and ignored the bastard's rant until the dark curtain dropped over him and he gave in to its siren call.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Danny smiled as he opened the car door and helped his daughter out. He hated leaving her this soon, but he needed to get back to the office. Chin and Kono had called with an update, but there really wasn't that much for them to tell him. He watched as Kamekona left the picnic table and came toward them.

"Hey, Pretty Lady, how would you like to help me decorate for Christmas?" the big man asked.

"Okay," Grace said, excited at the idea of helping Kamekona.

"Okay, Grace, you help Kamekona and I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Okay, Danno, are we going to put up our Christmas tree tonight?"

"Yes, we are, Monkey," Williams said and knelt in front of his daughter. "We'll pick one out as soon as I pick you up."

"Okay," Grace said and hugged her father.

"All right, Grace, we better get started," Kamekona said and turned to Williams. "Don't worry, Brah, me and Grace are going to have lots of fun working on the knots."

"Thanks, Kamekona."

"It's always a pleasure having Grace here...you call if there's any news."

"I will," Williams said and hurried back to his car. He got into the driver's seat and watched as Kamekona chuckled at something Grace said and knew his little girl was safe with the big man. He drove to headquarters and parked in his usual spot before hurrying inside to find Chin and Kono going over what little information they had.

"Is Grace with Kamekona?" Kono asked.

"Yes, she's going to help him decorate for Christmas," Williams answered and looked at the overhead displays. "What do we have?"

"There are plenty of places a plane can go down and be hard to find even if you know where to start the search," Chin told him.

"Did Heraldo give us anything new on where we should start looking?" the Jersey native asked.

"No, but Kono and I were thinking one of the islands north of here. If Heraldo is right and the pilot was in on it he could have done something to obscure the signal before turning it off altogether," Chin explained.

"Where's the Navy concentrating their search?" Williams asked.

"The islands to the south. They're sticking with the route the plane was supposed to take," Kono answered.

"Okay, so when can we get a chopper in the air and start our own search?" the Jersey native asked.

"The chopper is available now, but it'll be dark soon and there's no point in going up until morning," Chin told him.

"Damn...what do we know about Garcia?" Williams asked.

"Just what Heraldo told us and a couple of things we dug up in our own files. Garcia is well known in Mexico and several South American countries. He has connections with the Ortiz brothers in Brazil and the Juarez family in Cuba. He made a mistake when he killed Donna Sterling and NCIS was able to get the evidence they needed to prove he was behind the attack. A hard thing to do in Mexico, but the authorities there seemed to want Garcia out of the country," Kono explained.

"If the Juarez family wants him released Steve could be in more trouble than he knows. The head of that cartel thinks he's God and everyone else is two steps below his level," Chin said. "They've also got ties to The Yakuza."

"Wo Fat," Williams said worriedly.

"Exactly and we both know there's no love lost between Wo Fat and Steve," Chin said. "Look, Danny, there's not much we can do until morning so why don't you go spend some time with Grace. Kono and I can take care of things here and we'll call if anything comes up?"

"You sure?"

"Go, take care of her and get your tree," Kono ordered.

Danny knew there was nothing more he could do here and that Chin or Kono would call him if there were any new developments. "Thanks, Kono, call me..."

"You know we will," the woman vowed.

Danny left the room, worried about the missing man, but looking forward to spending time with his daughter. He was going to make this a wonderful Christmas for her, no matter what happened. God, help him, but he was going to kill McGarrett if he disappointed Grace by not being there for the celebration.

**5050505050 **

Grace smiled when she saw her father hurrying toward her and jumped down off the picnic table before running to him. "Hi, Danno!"

"Hi, Monkey, were you good for Kamekona?"

"She was excellent, Brah, you should see how good the tree looks," Kamekona said.

"Can we show him?" Grace asked.

"Of course, Pretty Lady," the big man answered and led the way into his home. The tree was a native Hawaiian one around five feet tall. Grace had really liked some of the decorations and Kamekona had given her several older ones after he told her the story and meaning behind each one.

"Wow, Grace, you and Kamekona did a great job with the tree," Williams said.

"Grace is real good at decorating," Kamekona told him. "Don't forget your decorations, Grace."

"I won't," the child said and reached for the package that held her items.

"Any word?"

"Not much, but we're going to start searching the north islands while Navy Search and Rescue checks the area to the south," Williams explained.

"Steve's strong...you'll find him, Brah" Kamekona told him.

"I know," Williams said as Grace walked out of the house.

"Does she know?" Kamekona asked.

"No, I was hoping we'd find him first..."

"Find who?" Grace asked, frowning at her father and the big man.

"Grace," Williams said and knelt down in front of his daughter. "Uncle Steve is missing, but we're going to find him."

"I thought he was going to help us decorate our tree?"

"I know, Honey, but..."

"Should we wait for him to come home?"

"I don't think he'd want us to do that, Grace," Williams said.

"Maybe we could ask Santa to bring him home."

"Sure, we could do that."

"Can we go see him now?" Grace asked.

"I think he's gone home now, Grace, but we'll go see him tomorrow."

"But you need to go find Uncle Steve...me and Kamekona can go see Santa. Right?"

"Right," the big man answered. "We'll go see Santa while your dad helps finds Steve."

**5050505050 **

McGarrett heard a strange noise nearby and opened his eyes to see the moon shining high above his head. He shifted slightly and frowned when he realized he couldn't move his arms. His body ached and his arms felt stretched to the limit and he cursed the fact that Garcia was smart enough to cuff him to a tree. The bastard was stretched out not far from where Steve lay, but he was far enough away that there was no way to reach him or the gun that lay next to his right hand.

Steve drew his right leg up and tried to do the same with his left, but it seemed to have stiffened up while he was unconscious. Garcia must have changed the bandage while he was out, but there was fresh blood on the gauze. Steve heard sounds from far off and knew there were dangerous animals in the area. He just hoped they didn't decide to go after easy pickings because right now he'd look like a smorgasbord.

McGarrett shifted slightly, feeling the pull on the stiff muscles of his arm when he tried to sit forward. He bit his lower lip, and tried to pull his wrists from the cuffs encircling them, but Garcia had made sure he wouldn't get free that way. Steve heard a sound from his captor and waited to see if the sound would be repeated. When the man settled back into a deep sleep, McGarrett continued his efforts to get free.

"Get some sleep, McGarrett, I plan to get moving at first light," Garcia said, but didn't open his eyes as he turned slightly and reached for the gun.

Steve ignored the bastard until he was sure there was no escaping the locked cuffs. He sighed heavily and glanced over his shoulder at the tree, and knew there was no point in trying to beak it. There was no point in ignoring his need for sleep, not if he wanted to be at his best come morning. He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes as the sound of birds twittered in the forest surrounding them.

**5050505050 **

Danny looked at his daughter, relieved to see she was sleeping soundly. They'd found a tree in a small lot and brought it home in the trunk of his car. It didn't take long to set it up in his living room. The house he was now living in was a small rental property, but at least it gave him a sense of home whenever Grace visited. Steve had called him to let him know the house was available and the rent was reasonable. The selling point for him had been was the fenced in back yard with a gate that opened on to the beach. Even though he complained about the ocean, he often found comfort in the sound of the waves, but not this time.

Right now his mind was on his missing partner, and he silently prayed the man's SEAL instincts would keep him alive until they found him. If anyone could survive a plane crash it was McGarrett, even if he was saddled with a miserable lowlife scumbag. Hell, Steve probably tied the bastard to a tree and left him for the scavengers to find.

Danny smiled as Grace turned over in the bed, but continued to sleep. He didn't want to wake her so he walked quietly into the living room and over to the tree. It was shorter than Kamekona's, but was decorated with a mixture of old and new decorations. Some dated back to his great grandparents and would someday belong to Grace. There was one particular ornament that he'd picked out as a joke, but now the toy SEAL reminded him of his missing friend.

"Stay alive, Steve, we'll find you," he whispered and touched the SEAL as if he could send strength through that touch. He knew there was nothing he could do to help McGarrett right now and gave in to his body's need for sleep. He dropped heavily on to the couch, closed his eyes and was asleep before his head hit the pillow with the bright moonlight streaming through the partially open blinds.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"Get up!"

Steve cursed and bit back a cry of pain as fire ignited in his left leg. Garcia's cackling laughter grated on his nerves and he knew he'd gladly show the man sharks without the benefit of a cage. He tried to stand, but his captor was having nothing to do with that and Steve barely avoided another kick to his injured leg.

"We need to get moving before those damn pigs decide they want your pig blood," Garcia said, holding the gun before him as he tossed the key to the cuffs near McGarrett's left hand. "Get them off, but don't try anything stupid or I'll leave you here and find my own way out!"

Steve felt around until he found the keys and fumbled several times before finally inserting the key into the lock and opening the cuffs. He toyed with the idea of attacking the other man, but Garcia was smart enough to stay out of his reach.

"Come on, McGarrett, we don't have all day for you to nurse a little cut. I thought SEALs were trained to be tough?"

"Come a little closer," McGarrett ground out.

"I'm not stupid..."

"You keep saying that and maybe you'll be able to convince yourself," McGarrett told him.

"When the time comes I'm going to enjoy killing you...nice and slow, but for now I'll let you enjoy yourself," Garcia declared and waited for his prisoner to put the cuffs around his wrists. "Now pick up that pack and let's get moving!"

Steve did as he was told, biding his time and making his limp more pronounced in an effort to make Garcia believe he was worse off than he actually was. The only problem with that was, it wasn't far from the truth. Garcia was keeping the food for himself and had taken the water from the pack at some point during the night.

"What are you waiting for, McGarrett, get us the hell out of here!"

Steve glared at the man before starting forward, biting his lower lip as the fire ignited in his leg when he put his weight on it. He started forward, heading north and hoping he was right about where they were. If so there was an emergency station at the north end of the canyon, but he'd have to make damn sure Garcia didn't hurt anyone they might meet if they made it to one of the hiking trails.

"Jesus, McGarrett, what the hell's wrong with you?" Garcia spat and shoved the man hard between the shoulder blades. "I'm not adverse to killing you now..."

"Go to hell!" McGarrett said and turned to face the man.

"You're not so tough..."

"Try me!" McGarrett spat.

"You know I might just do that once we're out of here, although it might be more fun to turn you over to my associates. I wonder what Antonio Juarez would say if I delivered you to him wrapped in a nice big red bow. I believe he'd find a new way to add some Christmas cheer to his celebration," Garcia observed.

Steve knew Antonio Juarez and from personal experience he understood just how dangerous the bastard was. If Garcia was involved with that family, then he also had ties to Wo Fat. If that was true, then maybe he could find out where Wo Fat was and the best way to get to him.

"Antonio and his uncle are still pissed at you for dismantling their drug route. I believe he mentioned something about dismemberment if he ever caught you back on his turf," Garcia observed.

Steve didn't bother answering the bastard as he started up a steep trail that would take them to a plateau about half way up the gorge. On a normal day it would take him several hours, but with the injury to his leg it would probably take most of the day to traverse the rough terrain. If he got lucky he'd be able to send Garcia to the bottom, the hard way.

"You know Antonio took quite a beating from his old man when you took away their business? I think he'll be the first call I make when we reach the top. Ever seen a man disemboweled, McGarrett? It's not a pretty picture and it's even worse the way Antonio keeps you alive until he figures you've suffered enough," Garcia taunted, but stayed out of McGarrett's reach.

Steve continued to make his way up the trail, his throat dry as his body craved the water Garcia withheld. He knew how to ignore the craving, but sooner or later he would need something to drink. He could feel blood on his leg and the persistent buzzing of insects reminded him of the unsanitary condition his wound was in. Once he reached the top he'd take the time to replace the soiled bandage, but for now he'd just have to deal with it.

**5050505050 **

Danny wanted to spend the day with his daughter, but Grace had shown just how much she'd grown up since he and Rachel had broken up. He'd dropped her off at Kamekona's house and knew as soon as the mall was open the big man would bring her so she could give him her list. This morning he'd found her sitting beside the tree with a notebook in her hand and a revision of the letter she'd written the week before. At the top of the page had been the sentence that brought home just how much she'd changed. She wanted Santa to bring her 'Uncle' Steve home and that he could give the rest of her gifts to kids who needed them more than she did.

Danny hurried in to Five-O headquarters, not at all surprised to find Chin and Kono already working. He could tell they'd been at it a long time and felt guilty about being late.

"How's Grace?" Kono asked softly.

"She's good. Kamekona is taking her to see Santa," Williams answered.

"You sure you don't want to be there, Brah?" Chin asked.

"I do, Chin, but Grace told me to find her 'Uncle' Steve so he can be there on Christmas Day," Williams answered. "Is there anything new?"

"No, Admiral Heraldo checked in about an hour ago, but so far they haven't found anything. They're continuing their search of the area around the south islands," Chin answered.

"What about the chopper?" Williams asked.

"It's fueled and waiting for us. We were just waiting for you," Kono told him.

"Then let's get started," Williams ordered. They left HQ and headed for Danny's car, hoping they'd find the missing man before the end of the day. They reached the airport in record time and found the chopper pilot waiting for them.

"Hey, Cuz, you're looking mighty fine," the man said and hugged Kono before looking at the others.

"Danny, this is Phillip Chow...a distant cousin on my mother's side," Kono explained.

"Why am I not surprised," Williams stated and ducked under the rotary blades before getting in the chopper. Chin and Kono quickly followed and the help lifted off, quickly gaining height as they flew out over the airstrip toward the north.

"I don't know how long we'll be able to stay up...there's a hell of a storm brewing near the south islands," Chow told them.

"Then we need to start searching while we can," Kono said seriously.

**5050505050 **

McGarrett glanced at the sky toward the south and easily read the signs there. The dark clouds hung low as if heavy with unshed moisture and he knew it would do him no good to be caught on the trail once the rains started. As it was they were treading on dangerous ground, but he knew they had to pick up the pace if they were going to make it to the plateau before the storm hit.

Steve grabbed for a thick tree branch and pulled himself along, cursing when he placed too much weight on his left leg and nearly slid back the few feet he'd gained. He could hear Garcia chuckling and fought the urge to attack the bastard when time was of the essence. He could see the edge of the precipice just as the first drop of rain landed on his arm.

A quick flash of lightning was followed by the low reverberating sound of thunder echoing off the walls of the canyon as McGarrett tried to keep his balance. He grabbed for anything that might hold his weight and was relieved when his hands found the edge of the plateau. He pulled himself over the ledge and turned to see Garcia do the same several feet to his right.

"A storm...a fucking storm! God, I hate this place!" Garcia snapped and held the gun on his captive. "I hope the hell you know a place we can use for cover. Otherwise it's going to be a little uncomfortable carrying around a piece of lead in your body, McGarrett."

"There's an old hiker's cabin about a mile north of here," McGarrett said, leaning on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He wanted Garcia to think he was in worse shape than he was, but so far the man wasn't fooled and stayed out of reach.

"Lead the way," Garcia told him and motioned with the weapon.

Steve shouldered the bag, wishing he could convince the sonofabitch to take off the cuffs as he struggled to keep the weight off his injured leg. He limped forward as a streak of lightning danced across the sky and the rain began to fall heavily. The air felt charged as they hurried away from the edge of the canyon, the deafening roar of thunder bouncing off the surrounding landscape.

McGarrett knew his leg was holding him back, but he called on everything Joe White had taught him. He moved as if his life depended on it, and right now that wasn't far from the truth. This type of storm was bad and wreaked havoc on the terrain, especially one that had already been ravaged by nature. He picked up the pace as lightning struck a nearby tree, sending a thick branch to the ground ahead of him. Steve barely managed to get out of the way and stumbled to the left as the wind picked up sending debris in all directions.

"Come on, McGarrett, get moving!" Garcia said and shoved his captive forward. The wind whipped his hair around his face as rain splattered the ground around him, yet he knew he could not allow the SEAL a chance to attack him. He wasn't stupid, and knew damn well the other man was trained to deal with pain.

Steve stumbled onward, aware of the tempest picking up momentum. The rain hit his face like stinging nettles and he blinked rapidly in an effort to clear his vision. He silently prayed that his memory of the area was accurate and that the cabin was where he remembered it to be. His leg was numb now, but he knew once they reached the safety of the hiker's cabin the pain would hit again.

Very little light filtered through the thick branches of the trees, and he could barely see ten feet in front of him, yet his instincts told him they were on the right track. He heard Garcia behind him, but a glance over his shoulder told him the man was staying a safe distance from him.

**5050505050 **

"We may not be able to stay up much longer," Phillip Chow told them. They'd started an aerial search **o**f Kauaʻi, but so far they'd had no luck in spotting a downed plane.

"We just got started," Williams snapped.

"I know, but that storm's coming in a lot faster than I thought. If we stay up we may end up in the same boat as your friend," Chow told them.

"How long?" Kono asked.

"Maybe another ten minutes...fifteen at the most," Chow advised.

"Phillip, why don't we make a quick sweep of the canyon?" Chin asked.

"It'll have to be a quick sweep, Cuz," Chow told them and banked the chopper to the left. He headed north toward Waimea Canyon, hoping for his cousin's sake they would find the crash sight before they had to turn back.

Chin and Kono kept an eye out for anything that could tell them where Steve McGarrett was. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, no flattened or cut off trees to tell them a plane might have crashed in the area. Waimea Canyon was ten miles long and two miles wide. It was 3600 feet deep and heavily forested in many areas. There was also the danger of wild boars, if Steve was injured and came across one of them he could easily be killed.

"See anything?" Danny asked worriedly.

"Nothing," Kono answered as rain hit against the chopper and the wind picked up.

"We need to head back," Chow told them.

"Damn it...just a few more minutes," Williams snapped.

"Not in this storm. We'll pick it up as soon as it blows over," Chow told him.

"How long do these things usually last?" the Jersey native asked.

"Depends on the system...could be a few minutes or a few days," Chin told him. "Most of the time they last a couple of hours, Danny."

"Steve knows what to do. He's probably already found shelter," Kono observed.

"I hate this place," Williams said.

"No, you don't," Chin said with a hint of a smile. Williams complained about Hawaii and called it the pineapple infested hell hole, but the truth was the islands seemed to be growing on him.

"Maybe," Williams said ad the chopper banked right and flew back the way they'd come.

**5050505050 **

The torrential downpour hammered at his skin, but he continued along the trail as if his life depended on it. He thought he'd spotted the hiker's cabin several times, but quickly realized his eyes were playing tricks on him. Garcia had come up behind him and shoved him with the gun, but Steve chose to ignore the bastard as he stumbled along the slippery path.

McGarrett knew if the rain continued they could easily be trapped by a mudslide and that was something he really didn't want to experience again. He'd nearly died while trying to escape the thick sludge, and was grateful to the woman and child who'd saved him that day. He was still in contact with them and was pleased to see the young boy was doing so well in his new school, away from the bastard who called himself as the woman's husband.

"Jesus, McGarrett, where is this fucking cabin?" Garcia shouted above the howling wind.

Steve didn't bother to answer as his leg gave out, but he managed to stay on his feet when he spotted the cabin ahead of him. He silently thanked his father for making sure he knew his way around the islands. As a child he'd looked up to his father, and even now he often called on the training the older man had bestowed on him. He'd learned to survive in the wilderness before he'd learned how to tie his shoes. He limped up to the door and tried to handle, relieved when the door opened easily and he staggered inside, Garcia staying just out of reach behind him.

The cabin was small by any standards, but it was dry and offered shelter from the tempest raging outside. Steve reached the cot and sat down, rubbing at his injured leg before wiping at his eyes. He spotted Garcia at the small table and smiled at the man's obvious discomfort. The man was used to the luxuries of life and had been unprepared for the storm or the lack of amenities out here. That would be his downfall.

Garcia knew he could not leave his captive free, but there weren't many places he could lock him to. He stood up, kept his eyes on McGarrett while he walked around the single room until he found something that might work. It was a metal hoop screwed into the floor and he guess it had been used to hold something, but whatever had been there must have been stolen or placed somewhere else. He reached for it and pulled several times, smiling when he realized it was solid and should stop the SEAL from escaping. Of course he'd simply have to make sure the man wouldn't have any inclination to even attempt such a futile undertaking.

"Now, McGarrett, I'm going to toss you the key and you're going to unlock the cuffs and place the pack on the floor. Then you're going to come over here, push one end of the cuffs through the hoop and lock the other one around your wrists. I'm afraid you won't be very comfortable, but I'm sure you'd agree that it's better than being dead. If you behave yourself I might even take care of your leg for you."

"Don't do me any favors," McGarrett ground out. He'd laid back on the small cot and closed his eyes, but he knew the small comfort he felt was about to end.

"On your feet...now!" Garcia ordered and tossed the key on the bed. He watched as McGarrett picked up the key and used it to unlock the cuffs before dropping the pack. "Now slide it over here."

Steve did as he was told and watched as it stopped near Garcia's feet. The man smiled and motioned toward the oversized carabiner screwed into the floor and McGarrett limped toward it, using anything he could to keep the weight off his injured leg.

"Sit down and push the open end of the cuff through the hoop," Garcia ordered.

Steve slowly sat down and straightened out his leg before doing as he was told.

"Oh, no you don't. I'm not stupid, McGarrett. I want your hands behind your back!"

Steve knew he had no choice because Garcia wasn't giving him a chance to try anything. The man continued to aim the gun at his chest, and at this distance there was no way the bastard would miss. He shifted his body until he could slip the cuff onto his wrist and glared at the man standing over him.

"Well, since you did as I told you I guess I should keep my promise and take care of your leg."

"I don't need your help, Garcia!"

"Actually, yes you do, especially since I still need you to get me out of this hell hole," Garcia said and reached for the pack, but dropped it again before moving quickly toward his prisoner. "Say goodnight, McGarrett!"

Steve didn't have time to react as the butt of the gun came down against the left side of his forehead. He swallowed convulsively as the room around him faded and darkness reached out for him.

"If you were trustworthy I wouldn't have had to do that," Garcia said as McGarrett's eyes closed and his head fell forward on his chest. He wrinkled his nose when he looked at the injury to the man's left leg and wished he could let him bleed to death, but right now he needed the bastard alive. He reached for the pack and pulled out the first aid kit. He quickly poured peroxide over the wound and covered it with gauze and tape. A bruise was already forming above McGarrett's right eye, but he didn't give a damn about that. Right now he was hungry and tired and needed to find something to eat before lying down on the small cot.

Garcia moved to the small cupboard and opened it, smiling when he found several canned items as his stomach rumbled loudly. He was so damn hungry that the Spam looked like prime rib when he put it on a plate and sat down on the bed. He quickly ate it and grabbed a bag of stale chips, but again he'd never tasted anything so good.

With his hunger sated he looked at the unconscious man and realized he needed to do something about the man's legs. McGarrett would find a way to get to him if he left his legs loose. Garcia quickly searched the cabin and smiled when he found a length of rope buried beneath several items he didn't recognize. He tied the man's feet together and turned him on his side before drawing his legs up and tying the rope around McGarrett's bound wrists, effectively making him look like a human pretzel. He took another piece of rope and looped it through the hoop before tying it around the captive's neck.

Garcia stood up, checked to make sure the rope would hold before laying down on the bed and closing his eyes. It wasn't comfortable by any means, but it had to be better than McGarrett's situation. He smiled and waited for sleep to claim him.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

They made it to the airstrip on Kauaʻibefore the storm hit full force. They raced for the shelter of the nearest building and ducked inside as a streak of lightning shot across the sky. The loud crash of thunder reverberated off the building with enough force, Danny was sure it could shatter the glass. He lifted his hands and flicked at the water that dripped onto his face.

Williams moved to the window and watched as several workers ran for shelter and hoped McGarrett had found a place to hold up until the storm ended. God, help him if he screwed up the plans for Christmas, because he'd gladly give the SEAL a piece of his mind for making him worry.

"Danny, you should come away from the window," Kono suggested.

"Yeah...sorry wasn't thinking," Williams told her and accepted the towel Chin passed him. "How bad will it be if he's in the canyon?"

"If he makes it to one of the hiker's cabins he should be okay," Chin answered.

"If he doesn't?"

"The rain will quickly turn the ground into a muddy mess...if it continues like this there's a chance of flash floods," Chin told him and looked out the window as a tree snapped in half and rolled across the airstrip before coming up against a concrete post. "Steve knows the canyon, Danny, he'd recognize the dangers and find shelter if..."

"If he's alive," Williams observed.

"Are you kidding? We are talking about Steve McGarrett here. The man knows what he's doing, and he's been trained to survive," Kono told him.

"He's also human and bleeds just like the rest of us. If the plane went down in the canyon then he's probably injured and needs help. Then there's Garcia...what if he manages to get control? God knows he wouldn't think twice about killing Steve," Williams snapped.

"Steve can handle himself," Chin observed."

"I know that! Mr Super SEAL with an attitude will probably get himself killed if Garcia gets the upper hand, but he'll go down fighting," the Jersey native told them.

"Well, there's nothing else we can do until the storm stops," Chin said.

"I'm going to contact Heraldo and see if they found anything in their search grid," Kono said and walked toward the window as she searched for a strong signal. The electrical storm was playing havoc with the cell phones, and the interference was something they couldn't do anything about.

**5050505050 **

Steve could feel consciousness returning, and with it came he numbness that told him he'd been in one position too long. He tried to shift his body, but cried out when something pulled tight around his neck. He relaxed, or tried to, but it was impossible with the ropes binding him.

"Might as well give it up, McGarrett, the storm's still raging out there and I'm going to get some more shut eye. You might as well do the same," Garcia said.

McGarrett didn't bother acknowledging his tormentor as he lay on his side and tried to breathe without strangling himself. His breathing sounded ragged to his own ears as Garcia stood up and moved to kneel in front of him. Steve could smell Garcia's breath, a mixture of garlic and stale tobacco and felt his stomach churn.

"What's the matter, McGarrett? Are you having trouble finding a comfortable position there? I could probably help if you like," Garcia said.

"Don't do me any favors," the SEAL spat.

"It wouldn't be a favor...believe me," Garcia said and stood up. He grabbed the captive and turned him onto his stomach, chuckling softly when a sharp gasp escaped McGarrett before he rolled him onto his left side. "Better?"

Steve swallowed convulsively as needles and pins started in his arms and legs. The bitter taste of bile hit the back of his throat and he released it in a thin stream on Garcia's foot. He felt fingers in his hair and his head was yanked back as his tormentor glared a him.

"You bastard, these shoes cost me 500.00 and you ruined them!"

"Good," McGarrett managed.

"I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you nice and slow, McGarrett," Garcia warned and released his hold on the dark head before returning to the bed.

Steve kept silent while Garcia laid back on the bed, but inside he was seething with uncontrollable rage. The bastard was heavy handed, but Steve had been through worse, far worse. The problem was, Christmas was coming fast and if Danny was searching for him, then it meant he wasn't spending time with Grace, and Steve knew how hard that would be on his partner.

McGarrett finally managed to get past the aches and pains that reminded him he'd been in a plane crash. Getting rid of the guilt he felt about ruining Williams' chance of spending Christmas with his daughter was another matter.

**5050505050 **

Grace Williams stared out the window as the storm raged and lightning flashed across the sky. She picked at the bowl of macaroni and cheese, but didn't really feel like eating. She knew her Danno was out there, searching for her 'Uncle Steve', and felt tears in her eyes when she looked at the tiny manger Kamekona had placed beneath his tree.

She remembered her father and mother talking about God and the baby Jesus and wasn't sure what she thought. If they were right then maybe the baby Jesus could help them find 'Uncle Steve'. Danno had told her that it never hurt to say a prayer and so she closed her eyes and spoke softly, unaware of the big man watching her with moisture laden eyes.

Grace lay down in front of the tree and lifted the baby from the manger. "Daddy said it's your birthday soon and that means prayers are extra special. 'Uncle Steve' is in trouble and my daddy is trying to find him, but there's a big storm and I'm afraid something bad is going to happen. Mommy said it's better to say prayers for others, but I want to say them for Daddy, and Uncle Steve, and Uncle Chin, and Aunt Kono. Please bring them home for Christmas. I don't want any presents...I just want them home safe."

Kamekona heard the small sob and reached down to pull the little girl into his arms. He felt her trembling against him and wished there was something he could do to reassure her.

"Do you think Baby Jesus heard me?" Grace asked softly.

"I know he did, Gracie, and I know he's going to listen to you. It won't be long before everyone is home and we'll be singing carols and eating dinner and opening presents," Kamekona told her.

"Danno said he misses having a turkey dinner," Grace observed.

"I tell you what we're going to do, Pretty Lady. When this storm is over we'll go find the biggest turkey in Hawaii and we'll cook a dinner just like the ones you had back home."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Pinky swear," Grace said and smiled when the big man offered his pinky.

"Pinky swear it is," Kamekona said. "Now how about we have some shave ice and watch The Grinch?"

"Okay," Grace said and moved toward the small kitchen, but she glanced over her shoulder at the manger and silently hoped Kamekona was right and that Baby Jesus had heard her.

**5050505050 **

Danny had always loved storm watching, but the one that had raged outside held little of the usual beauty supplied by nature. As he watched the rain hitting the window he thought about his daughter and hoped Kamekona was able to calm her fears. He trusted the big man with the greatest gift of his life and knew Kamekona would take care of her..

"Danny, according to Heraldo's people the storm seems to be dissipating to the south," Chin explained.

"Any idea how long before we can renew the search?" Williams asked.

"That'll be up to Phillip," Kono answered. "He's not going to go up if there's any danger."

"What about Steve and the dangers he's facing? I know...I get that he's a SEAL, but if the plane went down and he's hurt then he needs us to find him ASAP. Then there's the added problem of Garcia. What if he got the upper hand with Steve? He's not going to make it easy for him."

"Are you kidding? Knowing Steve he's probably driving Garcia nuts even if the man has control. Every read the old story The Ransom of Red Chief?" Chin asked.

"Not that I remember?"

"It's about this kid who gets kidnapped and drives his kidnappers crazy...when they asked the parents for ransom the parents end up telling them they'll take the kid back if they pay up. It's a fun story and makes me think of Steve," Chin told him.

"Sounds like someone wrote it about Steve," Williams remarked.

"It does doesn't it?" Chin asked. "Come on, Danny, I'll buy you a coffee."

"Sounds good, but I'm going to try Kamekona again," Williams said, surprised to find he actually had reception. He quickly hit the button for Kamekona and waited for the man to answer.

_*"Hey, Brah, any news?"*_

"Sorry, Kamekona, but we were grounded before we really got started. Is Grace around?"

_*"She's right here."*_

_*"Hi, Daddy, did you find Uncle Steve?"*_

"_Not yet, Monkey, but we're going to."_

_*"I know you will because Kamekona and I asked Baby Jesus to help you find him. You said prayers are even stronger at Christmas."*_

"Yes, they are, and I know Baby Jesus is listening to yours. We'll find Steve," Williams said.

_*"Will he be home for Christmas?"*_

"I don't know, but we'll try, Monkey."

_*"We can wait to open our presents until you find him."*_

"I don't think Steve would want us to do that."

_*"I know, but I want to wait."*_

"We'll talk about it when I see you tonight...okay?"

_*"Okay, Danno...I love you."*_

"Danno loves you too, Monkey," Williams said and placed the pone back in his pocket as Chow joined them. "When can you take us back up?"

"I need to arrange for re-fueling and check the systems. If all goes well and the weather cooperates we should be able to take off inside an hour," Chow told them.

"Is there anything we can do to expedite things?" Kono asked.

"Just grab some water and coffee...got a feeling it's going to be a long evening," Chow said and looked out as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

**5050505050 **

Steve was no stranger to pain, or to waking up in uncomfortable situations, but the combination of both had made it next to impossible to sleep. He shifted his body, surprised to find that he was no longer trussed up like the proverbial Christmas turkey. He moved his legs and opened his eyes to find Garcia staring at him.

"It's about time you woke up! I thought I'd have to shoot you and find my own way out of here," Garcia snapped. "Now get on your fucking feet and let's get moving!"

Steve cursed the fact that Garcia had managed to release him and cuff his hands in front of him without him knowing. He wondered if the blow to the head he'd received had resulted in a concussion, but didn't really have time to figure it out as Garcia fired a shot close to his injured leg.

"Get on your feet, McGarrett! My patience is wearing thin and I need to make that rendezvous with or without you!"

"Go find your own way out! I'd rather stay right here and wait for help to find me," the SEAL spat.

"I'm not leaving you here alive, McGarrett so here's your only options. I put a bullet in you now or you get on your feet and start moving. The first one I can guarantee you'll be dead, but at least with the second option you have a slim chance of getting the better of me," Garcia said with a grin as he aimed the gun at his prisoner's head.

Steve could tell the man would do just what he said and managed to push himself to his feet. His mouth and throat were dry and he reached for the bottle of water in the backpack, only to find it empty. He glared at Garcia who held the second bottle and knew there was no point in asking for a drink as the man tilted his head back slightly and drank his fill before capping it and slipping it into the waistband of his pants.

"I'm sure you're thirsty, McGarrett, but since this is all we have I figure I need it more than you do," Garcia said and waited for the man to move.

Steve limped toward the door and smiled inwardly when Garcia quickly moved out of reach. The man may be holding the gun right now, but it was obvious he knew damn well Steve could probably take him if he let his guard down. He stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine and realized they'd spent most of the day in the cabin.

"All right, McGarrett, which way?"

"North," the SEAL answered and knew it would take some time to reach the next summit. They'd crashed into the deepest part of the canyon and it was a treacherous hike when he'd made it on two healthy legs.

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for?" Garcia said and shoved the captive between the shoulder blades, smiling when McGarrett barely managed to stay on his feet and a muffled curse told him he'd landed on his injured leg.

"Bastard," McGarrett cursed, but started forward. He'd have to wait a little longer to make his move, but it couldn't be too much longer or he'd be too weak from dehydration and blood loss. The bandage around his leg was soaked through again, but asking Garcia to stop was not an option. He wanted out of the canyon just as much as Garcia did, because by now the rest of his team was looking for him and he'd make damn sure he was ready when they found him.

"So, McGarrett, those stories I heard about SEALs are all lies aren't they?"

Steve didn't bother answering the man's taunting words as the rough trail grew steep and he was forced to use his hands as a guide or chance sliding backward on his bad leg. He knew there was also a chance they could run in to hikers, and if that happened he'd have to make sure Garcia didn't hurt them.

"I bet you squealed like a virgin the first time you got shot. Or were you ever shot? I heard stories from Wo Fat and the Ortiz brothers about the great Steve McGarrett, and I'm beginning to think that's all they were. You probably made them up yourself and embellished more than a few facts. Ever really been in a fight, McGarrett...hand to hand without the benefit of a weapon."

"A time or two," McGarrett said and turned to face his captor. "Should I tell you where the bodies are buried or would you rather I show you?"

Garcia backed away and nearly fell, but managed to stay on his feet and keep his weapon trained on the other man. "I bet you never gave them a chance did you? Probably shot them in the back like the coward you are."

Steve didn't bother answering as he turned back to the trail. He started up and listened to the man following behind him, hoping Garcia would become overconfident and get too close. The foliage on either side of the trail was thick with brush and broken branches from the trees that towered above them, and allowed very little light to filter through. At any other time, Steve knew he'd relish the thought of hiking in Waimea Canyon, but at the moment he knew it could have deadly consequences for him and anyone that might cross their paths.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

The chopper flew north, away from the airstrip with Williams, Kelly, and Kalakaua resuming the search while Chow kept his eyes on the instruments and brought them back to the last spot they'd searched.

The storm would have left the canyon more treacherous than usual, but if anyone could survive a plane crash and traipsing through rough terrain, Danny knew it was Steve McGarrett. The man had survived a rock in the face and a broken arm and managed to climb back up with minimal help from him. He just needed to find him and renew his faith in McGarrett's Super SEAL nickname.

"I'm going to go down the south side of the canyon, then circle around and come in from the north," Chow told them.

"Can we go any lower?" Williams asked.

"There's no reason to go lower, Danny, if Steve's plane went down in the canyon you'll be able to see the evidence pretty fast," Chin answered. "Steve knows this area pretty well. If he's able he'll head for one of the hiker's cabins."

"Where are they?" Williams asked.

"There are several spread out through the canyon in case a hiker runs into trouble," Chin told him.

"So he could be at one of them waiting for us," Kono observed.

"Maybe," Chin said as the chopper banked to the right and flew toward the south, his eyes raking over the landscape, searching for anything that would tell him where McGarrett's plane went down. They were nearly halfway through the first section of the search grid when Kono sat forward and pointed to something below and to the right of them.

"Phillip..."

"I see it, Kono," Chow said and brought the chopper lower. Skimming over the trees until they hovered over the sight they'd both feared and hoped to find.

"We need to get down there," Williams said.

"I don't have the right equipment for that," Chow told them. "We need to head back to base and get a search and rescue chopper in the air."

"It'll take a couple of hours to get them back and re-fueled," Chin said of the search and rescue choppers that were helping the Navy search in the wrong place.

"Look, we need to head back and meet up with the search and rescue choppers," Chow said.

"You must have rope or something we can use to lower me down there," Williams said.

"Not safely I don't," Chow warned. "Look, we're wasting time arguing...time your friend might not have."

"Phillip is right, Danny," Kono said. "We need to get people out here...people who know how to do this."

"I'm going with them."

"We all are," Chin vowed as Phillip radioed in the coordinates for the crash site and they headed back to base.

**5050505050 **

Garcia watched as McGarrett continued to make his way up the trail, and hated to admit the man was damn good at ignoring pain. There was no doubt in his mind that the SEAL was hurting, hell the limp itself spoke volumes. Still, McGarrett moved as if the pain forced him to face whatever lay ahead of him.

Garcia knew once they reached the summit and he made his call, McGarrett would either die from a bullet or a fall back down the canyon. He'd toyed with the idea of keeping him alive until the Ortiz brothers sent a rescue team for him, but the man was more trouble than he was worth. Although Wo Fat had put out an order that killing this particular SEAL could end badly for whoever did the deed.

Garcia wondered what it was about McGarrett that brought out the worst in people who ran in Wo Fat's circles, but it didn't really matter to him. He knew how to handle himself and shooting McGarrett with his own gun seemed like the perfect way to end the man's life. He stopped when the sound of a chopper reached his ears and saw his prisoner literally stand up and search the sky to the south.

"Well, since I haven't made a call yet, I'm guessing they're friends of yours, McGarrett," Garcia observed as the sound faded in the distance. "Now my guess is they've probably discovered the plane and are going for help. That mean you and I need to move a whole lot faster. So move, McGarrett!"

"Go to hell!"

"You've said that before, and since I'm a man who doesn't mind redundancy I'll say the same thing again. A bullet or you move now...your choice!" Garcia smiled as McGarrett turned back to the trail and started forward. God, he was really looking forward to shooting the bastard when the time came, but for now he still needed the SEALs sense of direction.

**5050505050 **

It took close to two hours before the Search and Rescue choppers arrived, were re-fueled and had the systems checked. During that time the man in charge, Commander Noel Ledrew, went over the specifics of the operation and reluctantly kept the three Five-O people in the loop. He'd wanted to leave them out of it, but Williams had called the governor who then called Admiral Heraldo and now he was saddled with three civilians.

"Detective Williams, you'll be going in with the first unit. You'll do exactly what Lieutenant Wilson tells you or you'll be brought back here before you can call the governor. Understood?"

"I get it," Williams snapped, disliking the man, yet respecting him for taking a tough stand when it came to his job. Search and Rescue was something that could, and often did end in tragedy, but Danny vowed that would not be the case this time.

"Good," Ledrew said and turned to the other members of McGarrett's team. "You two will help coordinate with the team from here. I don't want to have to worry about you getting lost."

"You don't need to worry about us. We've been through the Canyon before," Chin spat.

"I don't doubt it...probably with a guide and one of those quaint little survivor kits..."

"I don't do quaint," Kono snapped and looked at her fingers. "Damn, Chin, I chipped a nail."

"Five-O knows what they're doing, Commander," Chow said and returned his attention to the manifest before the man could say anything else.

"Team one and Detective Williams will go in and set up base camp. If they find survivors..."

"When they find survivors," the Jersey native corrected.

"If they find survivors they'll radio back and we'll send in a secondary team if the weather holds," Ledrew told them.

Danny glanced out the window and realized the clouds were rolling in again as the sun dipped below the horizon. It would be dark soon, and another storm would hamper the search, but at least they'd be doing something. He watched as the lieutenant and the first team gathered up what they'd need before following them to the Search and Rescue chopper.

**5050505050 **

Steve knew it would be dark soon and the clouds rolling in heralded another storm. There was no way in hell they'd make it to the top before the rains came, but it wasn't safe to stay where they were. He tried to remember what his father and the SEALs had taught him about survival, but his head was pounding and each step he took sent dagger like pain through his left leg.

God, he was so damn thirsty, and knew blood loss was exacerbating the problem. The wound itself burned, and was probably infected because of the dirt and debris ground into it when he fell.

Garcia was still keeping his distance, but Steve knew he would have to do something before he lacked the strength to fight. The bastard had a heavy hand and each time Steve tried to fake a move that would get him closer, Garcia struck him with the gun. He was pretty damn sure there wasn't an inch of his upper body that wasn't battered and bruised.

"Jesus, I hate this fucking place!" Garcia groused and swatted at something that crawled on the back of his neck.

Steve ignored the man's irate words and continued along the trail, but stopped when he heard movement ahead of him.

"Come on, McGarrett, I don't want to spend another night in this damn canyon!"

"Is someone there?"

Steve heard a woman's voice and tried to put himself between the newcomer and Garcia, but the man kicked his injured leg and sent him to his knees. He fought to get to his feet when he saw two people step from behind the heavier brush to the right of the trail. "Get back..."

"Shut the hell up, Garcia!"

Steve heard the man's voice and cried out as the man struck him from behind. He tried to shout a warning at the newcomers, but nothing came out as darkness reached for him. He struggled to stay conscious as Garcia pressed the gun against his temple.

"Just stop fighting me, Garcia, and we'll all get out of here and you'll have a nice cozy bed in jail!"

"No...not...not Garcia."

"What's wrong with him?" Natalie Tremaine asked.

"We were involved in a plane crash yesterday and he hit his head. I need to get him up top so I can get my team here to pick him up," Garcia answered.

"Is he dangerous?" Michael Tremaine asked, keeping back from the two men.

"Extremely. He raped and murdered a young naval lieutenant and I was bringing him back to Hawaii to face charges..."

"Not...McGarrett...I'm..."

"I said shut up, Garcia!" He punctuated his words by striking his captive in the side with the butt of the gun and looked at the newcomers. "Look, I need your help to get him out of here."

"He looks like he's hurt bad," the woman observed.

"At least he's alive," Garcia told them.

"Should we help him, Michael?"

"I don't know, Natalie...maybe we should just keep going and call for help when we reach the top," the young man told her.

"Look, I don't know if I'll be able to get him up there on my own. All I need from you two is that you support him while I keep my gun on him. Otherwise I'll be forced to leave him here and that's not very humane when you know about the wild animals in the area."

"What kind of wild animals?" Michael asked.

"You're not from around here are you?"

"No, we took the tour yesterday and Michael thought we could handle it on our own. Are there really dangerous animals? The guide said something about boars, but I thought they were like pigs or something," Natalie observed and looked around.

"They are, but they're dangerous, not to mention the snakes," Garcia told them. "Look, there's a reward..."

"A reward?" Michael asked interestedly.

"It's not much, but Garcia is a wanted man and sometimes private citizens offer a reward for their capture. Since I'm a cop I can't claim the reward myself, but that doesn't mean you two can't claim it. I'll sign the papers myself," Garcia lied.

"How much?" Michael asked.

"I'm not sure. Last time I checked it was a couple of thousand. Could be more now."

"We could use the money to cover the expenses, Natalie," Michael said.

"I know," the young woman said and sighed heavily. "What do you want us to do?"

"Get him on his feet and let's get moving. He's handcuffed and I'm trained with this gun so if he tries anything I'll put a stop to him real fast," Garcia told them. He leaned close to the dazed man's ear and whispered softly. "You try anything and their deaths are on your hands." He moved back and watched as the newcomers reached for McGarrett and hauled him to his feet. A sharp gasp told him the man wasn't fully out and had heard what he said.

Steve felt them wrap their arms around his waist and stumbled along between them. No matter how badly he wanted to take the bastard down, he couldn't endanger the couple that had stumbled upon them. He shifted his legs, keeping as much weight as possible off his left leg as he staggered along between them.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

The chopper flew high over the rough terrain, dropping slowly toward the ground as they neared the crash site. Danny sat in the back, the seat belt holding him in place in spite of the turbulence. His anger toward Ledrew's attitude had made him want to punch the man in the face, but he knew that wouldn't do his partner any good.

The rain continued to hold, but he knew the Navy Search and Rescue Team were tracking another storm that was moving in from the southwest. Danny just hoped it would hold off long enough for them to get to McGarrett. "What's our ETA, Lieutenant?"

"We should be over the crash site in 15 minutes. When we get there the team will go down. If there's time then you'll be lowered last...if not they'll take you back to the base and wait until morning," the lieutenant explained and turned to the rest of the team. "Make sure you have everything we need for an overnight mission."

"Yes, Sir," the men answered as one and quickly checked their supplies once more.

Danny looked at the man who carried the pack with the medical supplies. He knew the man was a fully trained navy medic and hoped the nickname 'doc' was not misplaced. Something told him this man would have his hands full once they found McGarrett. He returned his attention to the window and looked out, worried that the darkness and storm would interfere with the rescue operation.

"ETA to crash site two minutes," the pilot called.

Williams watched as the team readied themselves for the drop into the canyon and silently hoped he'd be able to go down. He listened as Lieutenant Wilson gave orders and allowed the man to help him in to the harness in preparation for the drop. The safety procedures were done while the chopper covered the remaining distance and Danny was once again relegated to the background as the Search and Rescue Team prepared for descent to the crash site.

Danny watched as one by one the men dropped over the edge and were lowered to the ground nearly 100 feet below. The winds buffeted against the aircraft, making Williams glad he was wearing the safety ropes as the last man was lowered to the ground. He waited for the co-pilot to bring the rope back up and was ready to fight should they decide it wasn't worth the trouble of lowering him, but he didn't need to as the man helped make sure he was ready for the trip down.

"All right, Detective, just hold on tight and we'll get you down as quickly and safely as we can."

"Okay," Williams said and was eased out over the edge and lowered toward the ground. The wind whipped through the branches of the trees and Danny held his breath as a strong gust threatened to send him into the nearest trees, but the safety line did it's job with the help of the men on the ground and those in the chopper.

By the time he reached the ground, Danny could see a small fire going and the camp was pretty well set up. "Anything?" he asked the lieutenant.

"No sign of McGarrett or Garcia. We do have two bodies...one female the other male," Wilson answered.

"Flight attendant and pilot?" Williams asked as he released himself from the harness and moved toward the wreckage.

"That's what we think," Wilson said. "It looks like they died on impact."

"Probably, Steve wouldn't have left them if they were alive," Williams said.

"Commander McGarrett was probably not in charge. He's a trained SEAL and he knows it's best to stay at the crash site and wait for rescue," Wilson observed.

"The only way Steve wouldn't be in charge is if he's injured and Garcia took advantage of it," Williams told him.

"Then we treat it as a hostile situation," Wilson said and moved toward the rest of his team.

Danny walked the short distance to the wreckage of the plane and looked inside. The bodies had yet to be removed and he knew they would stay where they were until the investigation into the crash was completed. He moved inside, ignoring the others as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

**5050505050 **

Garcia watched as the young couple supported McGarrett along the trail. Once they reached the top and he had cell reception, he'd deal with them and call for help. The Juarez family would probably send a chopper, but the Ortiz brothers might just decide to leave his ass to the elements. Antonio Juarez was not a forgiving man, and Garcia knew his hatred for McGarrett ran deep.

Antonio would gladly leave him here to die too, but if he knew Renaldo had McGarrett, then he'd make damn sure a chopper was sent to pick them both up. It would also ensure a place for him with the family, especially once Antonio took control of the cartel. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize the couple had stopped until he nearly bumped into them.

"It's starting to rain," Michael said.

"We should find someplace to wait it out," Natalie observed.

"There is no place until we get to the top. The faster we get up there the better off we'll be," Garcia told them.

"But the guide told us it can be really dangerous if it rains," Michael said.

"No shit, but that's another reason to keep going. We're on a trail that's not well used and if we stop now we'll probably end up back at the bottom if a mudslide occurs and I know that can happen. Get moving and we'll reach the top in no time," Garcia ordered.

"Better do...do as he says," McGarrett whispered and saw the young woman frown before starting forward again. He knew he had to warn the couple of the real danger before they reached the top.

"Did you say something, Garcia?"

"He just told us to do what you said," Natalie answered. Something about the man with the gun scared her, while the man she was supporting seemed to be the one to trust.

"Good advice, especially coming from a rapist," Garcia said and followed the others as they renewed their climb. The rain continued to fall lightly, making each step difficult, but there was nothing he could do until they reached the summit. He wasn't sure how long it would take to get there, but he was not spending another minute in this fucking canyon.

**5050505050 **

Kamekona had always hoped to have children, but had never been blessed with the kind of love that would give him one. Grace Williams had quickly found a place in his heart and he wished he could ease the fear he knew was in her heart. The child had 'adopted' them all as part of her family and he knew she was hurting when he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the small bedroom and placed her on the bed. Tears had glistened in her eyes when he kissed her forehead and he'd tried to reassure her that her 'Uncle' Steve would not let anyone keep him from celebrating Christmas. He just hoped McGarrett wouldn't make a liar out of him.

Grace had finally fallen asleep and he hoped when she woke up he'd have good news for her, but the last he'd heard from her father was that they'd found the crash site and that he was going in with the Navy. That had been nearly two hours ago and the rain had been falling at a steady rate since then. He silently said a prayer to every Deity he could think of, and hoped he'd covered all the bases as he pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down to wait for news.

**5050505050 **

Danny could do very little to help now that the rain was falling and they'd taken shelter inside the wreckage. He thought of his daughter and knew she was safe with Kamekona. He wished he could be there to hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right, but Grace was smart and she understood that he dealt with people who didn't give a damn who they hurt.

Grace told him how proud she was of him and he remembered the look on her face when she'd taken him to school so she could tell her friends about his job. The kids in her class had asked him all kinds of questions, including whether or not he'd shot anyone with his gun. The teacher had tried to explain that a police officer only used his weapon when he had no other choice. Grace had stood up and said her daddy was the best cop in Hawaii and New Jersey and proceeded to tell them why. He'd never felt so proud of his chosen profession as he did that day when his daughter took his hand and said 'thank you'.

"Detective, we brought MREs if you're hungry," Wilson said.

"Oh, joy, and here I thought you guys were lucky," Williams said and took the ready-made meal. "Is this stuff as bad as they say it is?"

"No, it's worse," Wilson said with a hint of a smile as he sat next to the civilian. "How long have you worked with Commander McGarrett?"

"Too long," Williams answered softly.

"That bad?"

"Sometimes, but there's not another man I'd rather have watching my back," the Jersey native said seriously. "Hell, the man does make life interesting."

"I heard tell he dangled a man off a building and shoved another one in a shark cage."

"He did, and the truth is they deserved that and more, but you didn't hear that from me."

"Sometimes I wish we could do that with the enemy and get away with it. Our job would be a whole lot easier without the bureaucratic crap and diplomatic immunity," Wilson told him.

"Ever seen Lethal Weapon?"

"Oh yes...loved Glover and Gibson and that line about 'it's just been revoked'," Wilson said with a grin.

"That's the one I was thinking about," Williams said. "Sometimes I wish I could do what they did. Now Steve would probably do exactly what Glover's character did, because he's not afraid of repercussions."

"What about you? What stops you from doing that?"

"Grace, my little girl. She's all I have and I don't want to do anything that would give her mother more fuel. Rachel's a good mother, but she never understood why I chose to stay a cop instead of taking some nine to five job like her new husband," Williams said, a hint of sadness in his voice as he watched the rain fall.

"Some women just don't understand and never will," Wilson told him. He'd been angry when Ledrew saddled him with the detective, but the man seemed to know what he was doing and had pitched in to help move stuff around to give them room inside the wreckage. "There's extra blankets and MREs if you want them."

"The blanket, yes...this stuff, no thanks."

"Smart man," Wilson observed and moved to join the rest of his team as Williams settled in for what appeared to be a long night.

**5050505050 **

Steve had no idea how long it took them to reach the top, but if he counted it by the amount of times they'd slipped and fallen it would feel like an eternity. His leg and ribs throbbed, his head pounded to the beat of his heart and he wondered just how much blood he'd lost. He pretended to be unconscious and let his head fall against the woman's shoulder and hoped she would understand what he was about to tell her.

"Put him over there and back away from him," Garcia ordered.

"Run...he'll k...kill you..."

"What?"

"...run...get out o...of here," McGarrett managed as he stumbled along between them.

"I said put him down over there!" Garcia snarled.

"Pl...please...go!" the injured man tried again as they turned him to face his tormentor.

"Shut up, McGarrett!"

"But I thought you said his name was Garcia?" Michael observed.

"It is...hell, it doesn't matter anymore. I'll just give you your reward now," Garcia said and readied the gun.

Steve used his arms and shoved the two people as he dove toward Garcia. "Get out of h...here!"

"Natalie, run!" Michael said and grabbed his wife's hand as a shot rang out and echoed off the canyon walls.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Danny sat forward, wondering what it was that brought him completely awake and heard Wilson saying something about direction. "What is it?"

"We think it was a gunshot somewhere northwest of our location, but it's hard to tell with this damn storm," Wilson answered.

"Steve," Williams said.

"Maybe, but we can't rule out poachers either. There's a lot of that going on out here," a smaller man offered.

"It was Steve," Williams said and moved to the opening. The rain continued to fall as lightning flashed in the distance. Steve McGarrett was out there somewhere with a criminal who'd probably rather see him dead than alive. The fact that there'd been a gunshot told him that the man was living up to his Super SEAL reputation. "What time is it?"

"A little after two," Wilson answered. "The storm seems to be moving off and we should be able to start the search at first light."

"Good, any cell phone reception?" Williams asked hopefully.

"Nothing...reception is always a hit or miss thing in the canyon. With this storm it's a definite miss," Wilson answered and passed Williams a cup of hot coffee.

"Thanks," the Jersey native said and hoped the storm ended soon or the search was going to be a lesson in futility.

**5050505050 **

McGarrett felt the bullet pass through his right side, but couldn't let that stop him. He couldn't let Garcia kill the young couple, not while there was still breath in his body. He heard Garcia curse sharply and managed to get his hands on the gun long enough to deflect his hands and knock the gun aside before landing hard on the ground.

Steve knew he couldn't stop fighting or Garcia would win and that would make him a quitter. He struggled to keep the man from gaining the upper hand and hoped the young couple were smart enough to keep running. He felt his nemesis pressing the gun downward, forcing it between them and Steve knew he had to keep the man from pulling the trigger.

"Bas...tard...kill you!" Garcia snarled.

McGarrett didn't bother answering, not because he didn't want to, but because he needed to save what little strength he had left to keep Garcia from killing him and going after the people who'd helped him. Steve knew he could not hold out much longer and cried out when Garcia released the weapon and grabbed at the ragged wound in his right side.

Steve fought to stay conscious as the fiery pain raged through his body and Garcia dug his fingers deeper into the wound. The gun was still between them and he knew he had to get it or he was as good as dead.

"I'm going to pull out your intestines and feed them to the fucking pigs!" Garcia spat and shoved the injured man, surprised to find McGarrett still wouldn't quit. He cursed as they rolled across the ground and knew they were close to the edge of the canyon, but the SEAL just wouldn't lie down and die, instead he seemed to be trying to grab onto the gun that had somehow stayed trapped between their bodies.

Steve's fingers refused to grab onto the weapon as a wave of dizziness washed over him and threatened to send him spiraling into the darkness. He fought to stay conscious, hissing as Garcia renewed his efforts to throw him off. The gun forgotten, McGarrett tried to pull away from the hand digging into his flesh and struck out with his cuffed hands.

"You're a fucking dead man, McGarrett!" Garcia snarled, surprised that the man would not just give it up as he felt warm blood on his hand.

Steve knew he was losing more blood than he could afford and knew he had to do something fast before he bled out on Garcia's hands. He looked at his hands, so close to Garcia's exposed throat as the man's Adam's apple bobbed with hideous laughter.

"You're so fucking stupid, McGarrett!" Garcia said, eyes widening in surprise as his opponent relaxed on top of him and then slid sideways, wrapping his arms around his neck as he pulled the cuffs around his throat. Too late, Garcia realized what the man had done as the short chain was pulled tight and he tried to get his fingers underneath it.

Steve had no idea where he found the strength, but he could feel Garcia weakening as he kept the pressure on the man's neck. The gagging sounds grew more ragged as Steve kept squeezing with every ounce of energy he could draw on. He thought of his Ohana, and whether he would see them again as he felt Garcia grow still above him. He didn't release him, but kept squeezing until he was sure Renaldo Garcia would never hurt anyone again.

Steve wasn't sure if it was his breathing or the pounding in his skull that was louder as he finally released the man and tried to push him off. Garcia was dead weight and it took everything just to get the bastard off and Steve felt the rain drops on his face, shocked that it was still raining as he rolled over onto his stomach and tried to get to his knees.

God, it would be so easy to just lie down and let nature take its course, but to do so would mean his Ohana would be attending his funeral instead of celebrating the birth of the Baby Jesus.

**5050505050**

Danny knew the rescue team would be moving out shortly and would leave a man behind to wait for the second team to move in. He would be going with Wilson as they searched through the lower canyon before moving to higher ground. The gunshot had him worried and he knew it hadn't been poachers, and hoped McGarrett hadn't pissed Garcia off enough for him to shoot him.

"All right, Williams, the second team is mobile and should be here within the hour. A third team is already up top. Kelly and Kalakaua are with them," Wilson explained.

Danny nodded and moved to join the men who would be leading the search for Steve McGarrett. They would start in the lower grid and coordinate with the team searching topside, while a chopper would do an aerial recon. He'd thought about calling Catherine, but didn't want to get her in trouble if Wilson or the others caught wind of it. He knew she'd do anything to help Steve, but he wasn't so sure there was anything she could do in this situation.

"All right, Williams, just stay with us and try not to get lost," Wilson said.

"Real funny," Danny told him as they moved away from the wreckage and started along the rough path in search of his partner and Garcia.

**5050505050 **

Steve could hear ringing, it wasn't loud, but it was unpleasant and forced him to open his eyes. He tried to sit up, and cried out when he movement tugged at the wound in his side. It took a few minutes for him to focus on where he was an what had happened to him, and he stared at the man laying next to him.

The sightless eyes told him Renaldo Garcia was in hell where he belonged. If he died out here, at least he'd know Lieutenant Donna Sterling could rest in peace. He lay back and closed his eyes, feeling the life drain from his body with the blood that seeped from the wound. It would be so easy to just close his eyes and let nature take its course.

_'You're no quitter, Kid.'_

_'SEALs don't quit, Son, SEALs do the deed.'_

'Come on Super SEAL, don't let that bastard beat you.'

Steve heard the words, first from his father, then from Joe White, but the ones that finally broke through the fog enshrouding his mind belonged to a pain in the ass from New Jersey and brought a smile of resignation to his lips. Danny would never forgive him if he lay down and died, hell, Danny would never let him live it down.

"Sonofabitch," McGarrett cursed and called on every ounce of strength left in his body to climb to his knees. He crawled the short distance to Garcia's body and felt through the man's pockets until he found a key. Steve closed his eyes and tried several times to put the key in the lock of the handcuffs. He failed, silently cursing the weakness creeping over him until he finally managed to get the key in the lock and open the metal encircling his wrists.

McGarrett held his right arm tight against his side and felt the blood on his shirt, but ignored it as he climbed to his feet. He listed to the left and grabbed onto a nearby tree, breathing through his nose as he fought the waves of dizzying nausea that churned through his gut.

Steve felt himself slipping, yet he knew if he hit the ground now he would never get up. He called on everything he'd learned from his father, and everything that had been drilled into him as part of the TEAMs. He lost track of time as he concentrated on taking that first step, it wasn't much, but it felt like he'd climbed Mount Everest as h moved first his right foot, then his left. Inch by agonizing inch he moved away from the dead man and hoped his instincts were right and his memory of the area was intact.

**5050505050 **

Michael and Natalie Tremaine kept running until they couldn't go any further. They stood, bent at the waist, hands on their knees as they fought to catch their breaths. They'd heard the gunshot, but had no idea who had fired, and would not take the chance of going back to check. The path they were on would eventually lead them back to the start of the hiking trail they'd been on before meeting up with the two men.

"Ch...check your phone. See i...if you can g...get a signal," Michael told his wife.

Natalie nodded and took out her cell phone. They'd been running for so long that she'd forgotten she even had it as the sun began to peak above the horizon. She lifted it above her head and moved it around until she found what she was looking for. "I have a signal, but it's not very strong," she said.

"Call for help," Michael told her.

"Does 911 work here?"

"How the hell do I know? Just try anything," Michael told her and watched as she hit the three numbers and placed the phone next to her ear.

_*"911, fire, police, or ambulance?"*_

"Police," Natalie nearly shouted in relief as her call was redirected and a female voice answered.

"We're at Waimea Canyon and there's two men...one of them had a gun and said he was a cop. The other one is hurt, but he told us to run and their was a gunshot...No, we ran. I think we're close to the start of the hiking trail..."

Michael listened as his wife told the officer what had happened and gave as much information as she could. There was very little they could do to help and were quickly given directions on how to get back to the start of the trail. The officer then told to stay there until help arrived.

**5050505050 **

Chin reached for his cell phone when the familiar Christmas jingle reached his ears. They'd been searching along the upper trail for over an hour, but there was no sign of Steve McGarrett or Renaldo Garcia. He looked at the number and recognized Duke Lukela's name. "Kelly."

_*"Chin, it's Duke, we just got a call from a couple who were hiking in the canyon. They said they met up with two men...one was handcuffed and the other had a gun. The woman said the man told her his name was McGarrett and the guy in the cuffs was a rapist named Garcia."*_

"Are they still with them?"

_*"No, she said the guy in the handcuffs told them to run and attacked the guy who said his name was McGarrett."*_

" Did she say where they were?" Chin asked and listened as Lukela gave him the information.

_*"Let me know if you find him."*_

"I will, Duke, thanks," Kelly said and quickly updated Kono and the members of the search team. They headed south along the trail toward the crash site and hoped to find the Tremaines and McGarrett.

**5050505050 **

Danny knew it would take a couple of hours to get topside, but the call from Chin had given him hope that when they finally reached the area they'd find McGarrett alive. He'd never been so damn tired and swore every inch of his body was covered in insect bites, another reason for him to hate this place.

"Detective Williams, we're going to continue the search, but we'll concentrate in the grid your friend gave us. We should rendezvous with the second team in a little over two hours," Wilson explained.

"Does Steve have that kind of time," Williams asked softly and followed close behind the man as they started up the slope. He glanced at his watch and noted they'd been searching for over three hours and even with the new information they were still looking for a needle in a haystack. A slightly smaller haystack, but when searching for needles, it didn't make things any easier.

"This McGarrett, is he as smart as they say?" a woman asked from beside him.

"I don't think there's anyone smarter. The man knows what he's doing and he probably knows this canyon like I know my old neighborhood," Williams told her.

"Then he's probably headed for one of the hiking stations. There are several in the canyon, but not everyone knows about them."

"I hope so," Williams said worriedly.

**5050505050 **

Stumble...fall...pain...stand...stumble...fall...pain...stand...

It seemed like the world around him revolved around those four words, even his own body seemed to betray him, but Steve found the will he needed to keep moving. He called on reserves of strength he didn't know existed in an effort to take that one important step that would get him closer to home...to his Ohana. He shuffled along, not even bothering to lift his feet anymore because it required too much energy.

It was hot, and he'd give anything for cold glass of water, but he couldn't remember whether there were any rivers or creeks in this area of the canyon. He knew he had to get help soon or he'd bleed out. He held his right arm tight against his side as he stumbled and fell to his knees. It would be so easy to just lie down and let nature take its course, but that would make him a quitter, and his father had drilled into his head that quitters never win while winners never quit.

Steve looked up at the sky, feeling the sun bathing his face in heat that sapped what little moisture his body produced. Sweat no longer dripped from his hair, and licking his lips did nothing to moisten them as his tongue felt thick inside his mouth. He felt himself listing to the right and cried out as he found the strength to get to his feet and smiled weakly when he felt proud of the small victory.

Stumble...fall...pain...stand...stumble...fall...pain...stand...

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Chin knew the area better than the Search and Rescue Team and took point as they headed toward the area where the couple said they'd left Garcia and McGarrett. Duke had managed to contact the Tremaines and given them his number. They'd called and given him enough information about their location that Chin was pretty sure where they were.

The man in charge had reluctantly given him the lead and now they were racing toward the couple in hopes they'd be able to lead them to McGarrett. Chin knew Steve would do everything to survive. The people who'd trained him had drilled it into him, and the man had come back from more than his share of injuries.

They'd been moving along the trail for more than an hour, but there'd been no sign of movement. He glanced at Kono and knew she was worried about the missing man.

"How much further to the rendezvous?" Lieutenant Rhonda Allen asked.

"Maybe ten minutes," Kono answered.

"You sure this is the right direction?" the lieutenant asked.

"Yes," Kono snapped, tired of the way the woman spoke to them. She might know her job, but she had no people skills, and sooner or later she'd need to learn them.

"Easy, Kono, she's trying to get to you," Chin said when they moved slightly ahead of the woman.

"She seems to think we don't belong here," Kono said.

"Then we prove her wrong," Chin said, loud enough for the other woman to hear. They continued along the trail, ignoring the beauty of nature in their haste to find the couple who could lead them to their friend.

**5050505050 **

Danny was never so glad to reach the top of a trail in his life. It seemed as if he'd been climbing this cliff his whole life. There were times when the Search and Rescue Team had been forced to use ropes to secure themselves before moving along a narrow ledge. Danny had silently cursed the delay this caused, but understood the necessity of safety protocols.

Chin had called to give them the new coordinates, but the signal had been sporadic and he'd lost contact during the call. He'd given Wilson the information and waited while the other man verified the information before ordering them to move out. That had been nearly two hours ago and now they were moving north along the trail and should meet Chin and Kono.

"How long before we reach the coordinates?" Williams asked.

"We should be there in less than hour," Wilson told him and listened while his second in command told the others what trail they were to take.

"Thank God," Danny said and followed Wilson as another man fell into step beside him.

"The chopper should be in the air by now," Wilson said.

"Do they have the search grid?"

"Yes, they'll concentrate on a ten mile radius from the point where the Tremaines are now."

Danny nodded and thought he heard the sound of the chopper as they moved through some heavy brush before exiting onto the trail again. God, he hoped they'd find Steve before it was too late.

**5050505050 **

Steve knew he couldn't go on much longer, as his reserves of energy were nearly spent during the trip. He would have given up long ago, except for a certain detective who was just as good at ranting in his subconscious as he was in real life. The problem was he could tune the man out when he ranted in real life, but the voice in his head just kept on talking or shouting, depending on how close to giving up Steve got.

_'On your feet, Steven!'_

"Huh," McGarrett muttered and opened his eyes, surprised to find he was lying on the ground. Unlike him, the sun had continued its journey and was now high overhead. He tried to turn onto his side, biting his bottom lip to keep from crying out as shock waves of pain washed over him.

_'Come on, Steven, just think of how many criminals you haven't thrown in a shark cage or dangled off a roof by their ankles.' _

"I ne...ver tied a m...man to the fr...front of my car, Danno," he answered the voice in his head as he managed to get to his feet. He swayed drunkenly and looked around, but his eyes refused to focus. He needed to get help, soon, because there was no way in hell he could survive another night out here, although right now he'd give anything if a cloud would appear and a little rain would fall.

_'Suck it up, Son.' _

This time it was Joe White's voice he heard and again he was compelled to do what he'd been trained to do. He sucked in air through his nose and forced his right foot to move one agonizing inch as he fought to keep as much weight as possible off his left leg. At some point he'd found a piece of wood to lean on, but it was gone now and he didn't have the energy to search for something suitable.

He heard a sound above his head and stopped, searching the sky for the object he knew would make the noise. Years of being in the military told him it was a chopper and if he could just focus his eyes he might just be able to find it and signal the pilot or passengers. He lifted his arms and waved them as he staggered toward a small clearing, but his left leg refused to hold him and he fell forward. He hit the ground hard and cried out as he struggled to breathe through the nauseating pain raging through his body.

Darkness reached out and Steve could no longer fight as consciousness left him. The silence was broken by the ragged sound of his breathing and the far off call of an exotic bird.

**5050505050 **

Kono spotted the young couple huddled together on a log near a branch of the trail leading into the canyon. She hurried toward them as they stood up with fear written on their faces. "Its okay...I'm Officer Kalakaua, we're here to help you."

"Thank God...he was going to kill us," the young man said as the others joined them.

"Are you Michael and Natalie Tremaine?" Rhonda Allen asked and missed the eye roll from Kono as she tried to take control of the situation.

"Who else would they be?" Chin asked and moved toward the shaken couple. "I know you're frightened, but you're safe now and we need you to tell us exactly what happened."

"We were hiking in the canyon. We stayed on the main trail and it started to rain. We were going to head back, but there were two men," Michael explained.

"They looked like they were hurt...especially the man wearing the handcuffs. The other one said his name was Garcia and that he was a rapist and murderer and really dangerous, but I don't think he was. He told us to run and we did and we heard a shot, but we couldn't stop. We didn't know what else to do," Natalie told them.

"Can you describe the man in the handcuffs?" Kono asked.

"I think he was tall, but it was hard to tell because he was hunched over and favoring his leg. Dark hair...didn't really see his eyes, but he was hurt," Natalie said.

"What about the other man?" Chin asked, relieved that the Navy officer was leaving it to him and Kono to question the couple.

"I think he was Mexican. He had an accent and he seemed angry...I didn't trust him," Michael said.

"He had shifty eyes," Natalie offered.

"Sounds like Garcia," Chin observed and looked up as a chopper flew overhead. The Lieutenant had told them they'd have an air search going and it looked like she was right. "Any idea how far back they were?"

"No, we just kept running like he told us," Michael answered.

"We didn't know what else to do," Natalie said.

"You did the right thing," Kono assured her and turned to find Chin talking to Rhonda Allen.

"Kono and I can handle the search for Steve, but you need to get these people out of here," Chin said.

"Johnson and Ano can stay with the Tremaines and get them to a safe rendezvous point while we continue the search for Commander McGarrett," the lieutenant said.

Chin knew they needed as many people as possible searching for McGarrett. Now that they knew Garcia had the upper hand, they needed to find the two men ASAP. He knew Williams was topside and probably moving toward their position, and hoped one of them would find Steve before Garcia decided he wasn't worth the trouble.

"Chin, are you all right?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were all right. You looked like you were miles away," Kono explained.

"Sorry, I was thinking...we need to get moving," Chin told her and led the way along the trail with Allen and the others following behind.

**5050505050 **

Williams was the first to spot the body lying near the edge of the trail and hurried toward it as Wilson ordered the others to check the area. At first glance it could have been anyone and Danny held his breath until he knelt beside the dead man.

"Is it McGarrett?" Wilson asked.

"No," Williams said and sat back on his heels as recognition made him giddy with relief. The man's sightless eyes told him Garcia was dead, and he was pretty sure that meant McGarrett was alive because there was no sign of him nearby.

"We've got blood over here and it looks like someone fell," Todd 'Doc' Darius told them.

Danny stood up and hurried over, searching the ground and easily finding three sets of footprints in the soft dirt. He knelt down and touched the depressions before turning his attention to the trail.

"Looks like there are three people," Darius told them.

"There are," Williams said and pointed to two sets that seemed to be taking longer strides. "I'd bet those belong to the Tremaines, and this set belong to Steve."

"If they do then he's injured," Wilson said.

"The steps are uneven, like he's drunk," Darius observed.

"More likely he's lost a lot of blood," Williams offered and walked along the trail.

"He couldn't have gotten very far," Wilson said. "You two stay here and call this in. Tell them we need the coroner out here."

"Better call for a Medivac too," Darius said. "I'll go with Detective Williams."

"All right," Wilson said and told another man to stay with Garcia's body.

Danny knew he wasn't much of a tracker, but anyone could follow the haphazard trail left by his partner. The blood scared him even more than the evidence that Steve fell every hundred feet or so. How could the man even move after surviving a plane crash and probably being manhandled by Renaldo Garcia.

Williams moved fast, wanting...needing to find his friend before it was too late. "Steve!" he called, but there was no answer except for the wind rustling the leaves of the trees.

**5050505050 **

Grace Williams sat on the picnic table with an untouched Shave Ice melting in her hands. Her mother had called this morning, and Grace had told her she was fine and that daddy was going to bring 'Uncle' Steve home in time for Christmas. Now she wasn't so sure because Christmas was only three days away.

"Hey, Pretty Lady, Shave Ice tastes better when it's still ice. Is there something wrong with it?"

"It's fine."

"Come on...I'll make you a new one."

"I don't want another one," Grace said softly as she looked at the people playing in the ocean.

Kamekona sat on the table beside her and took the partially melted Shave Ice from the child's hand. He dropped it into the garbage container next to it and pulled her close. "It's okay, Gracie, they'll find Steve and he'll be okay."

Grace felt the man holding her and wished she could believe him, but she'd seen what could happen when there were bad people involved. She'd heard her parents argue over the dangers of police work and knew her mother had cried herself to sleep a couple of times. She was proud of Danno, but she did not like seeing him hurt, like the time the bad men had made him sick and he was in the hospital.

"Gracie, I know you're worried...so am I, but..."

"Danno will find 'Uncle' Steve...I know he will 'cause I prayed real hard to Baby Jesus."

"I did too and I bet so did other people who know what Five-O does to help people. Now why don't we get some Shave Ice and see if we can get a game of Beach Volleyball going."

"Okay," Grace said, but her heart wasn't really in it as she took the big man's hand.


	11. Chapter 11

Danny continued along the trail, worried because of the evidence that was right before his eyes. Steve was hurt, there was no doubt of that, and from what he saw, the man was hurt badly. He'd gone maybe half a mile and found several places where McGarrett must have fallen. The broken blades of grass and the blood told him of the struggle just to get to his feet. There was even one spot that looked like he'd crawled a hundred feet or so before collapsing to the ground.

"Steve!" Williams shouted again and heard his call echo through the canyon. He moved forward, frowning when he saw something just off the trail not far ahead. He hurried forward, his heart hammering against his chest when he recognized what could only be a body. "Steve!"

"Did you find him?" Wilson called.

Danny reached the prone figure and knelt down beside him. He knew it was Steve McGarrett even before he turned him onto his back. "It's Steve, get Doc here now!"

"I'm right here," Darius answered and dropped his kit on the ground and opened it.

"Come on, Steven, don't you quit on me now!" Williams ordered.

"Detective, I need to see how bad that wound is. Get his shirt up," Darius ordered as he pulled the pant leg apart to reveal the dirt and blood encrusted bandage. "Detective, did you hear me?"

"What?"

"I said get his shirt up so I can see how bad that wound is!"

"Okay..."

"Look, if you can't do this I can get one of the others."

"No, I'm good. Come on, Steve, don't you dare quit now that I found you," Williams said and lifted the shirt to reveal the wound in his friend's right side.

"Can you check to see if it went through?"

Williams nodded and reached his hand underneath McGarrett's unmoving body, feeling the torn flesh of an exit wound. "It went through."

"Get a couple of sterile bandages from my kit and place them on both wounds," Darius ordered.

"How bad is his leg?"

"It looks like someone tried to treat it, but it's infected and he needs to be in a hospital ASAP," Darius said.

"It looks like he's got a bad cut above his right ear too," Williams observed.

"There's not much i can do except clean his wounds and get a couple of IVs started," Darius explained.

"Medivac is on the way. ETA is fifteen minutes," Wilson told them.

Williams held the pressure bandages in place as Wilson took over at McGarrett's leg. Danny could tell that Todd Darius was in his element here as the medic quickly started an IV in Steve right hand. He watched as the medic set the rate higher than normal and then moved to start a second IV. "Why two?"

"He's lost a lot of blood and the IV is Lactated Ringers," Darius answered as he secured the second IV.

Danny nodded that he understood and continued to talk to McGarrett, hoping for some sign that the man heard him, surprised when he felt the left arm move and the hand latched onto his wrist. "Easy, Steven, I might need to use that hand especially if we find any new holes."

"D...Danny?" McGarrett managed and opened his eyes. He moaned softly as someone pressed against the wound to his leg.

"I'm here...the doc's working on you and Medivac is on the way," Williams explained and spotted the rest of Five-O hurrying toward them.

"How is he?" Kono asked worriedly.

"He's in bad shape, but you know our Super SEAL. He'll be dangling people off roofs in no time," Williams joked in an effort to ease the worry they all felt. Darius continued to work on McGarrett, checking the reaction of his pupils and listening to his lungs while making sure Danny and Wilson changed the soiled bandages covering the wounds.

"Hey, Boss, why didn't you tell us you wanted to hike in Waimea Canyon?" Kono asked.

"Did...didn't think...like the free...fall," McGarrett answered and licked at dry lips. "Th...thirsty."

"Can we give him some water?" Williams asked.

"I'd rather not give him anything by mouth right now, but there's a couple of sponges in my kit. Wet one and use it to moisten his lips," Darius ordered, looking up when they heard the sound of rotary blades. "Medivac's here."

"Thank God," Williams said. "No offense, Doc, but I'll be glad when he's in the hospital with..."

"The proper equipment to monitor him. Don't worry, Detective, I'm not offended, and just as relieved as you are."

Chin waved his arms and soon had the chopper pilot's attention and watched as it closed the distance and dropped a fully loaded Stokes to the ground. He grabbed one end while Kono took the other and a paramedic was lowered toward them. They rushed over to the group working on McGarrett and moved back so the two experts could get him ready for transport.

Danny knew there was nothing he could do to help Steve, but when he tried to pull away, McGarrett held tightly to his wrist.

"Gar...cia?" Steve managed, wanting to make sure the man would never hurt anyone again.

"He's dead, Steve, you just close your eyes and let them help you," Williams said, relieved when his friend did as he said and released his hand. Danny stood back with Chin and Kono and listened as Wilson gave orders to the others to go back and wait for extraction.

"Commander, we're going to get you ready for transport," Darius said and motioned for the others to lend a hand. It took them all to get him on the backboard and into the Stokes where Darius and the new medic strapped him in and signaled that they were ready to raise him up to the chopper.

Danny, Chin, and Kono watched as the Stokes was raised toward the waiting chopper and knew they'd be taking McGarrett to Queens Hospital.

"Danny, why don't you hitch a ride and we'll see you at the hospital when we're through here?" Chin suggested.

"All right. I'll call as soon as I get an update on his condition," Williams said and moved to speak with the medic who arrived in the chopper. It took a few minutes, but eventually the man realized there was no point in arguing as the detective threatened to call the governor. Danny nodded to Chin and Kono as he was secured and raised toward the aircraft.

Danny stepped inside and waited for the harness to be removed before moving to the secured stokes. He knew he'd have to buckle in once they were ready to leave, but for now he wanted to make sure his partner wasn't going anywhere. He glanced at the monitoring equipment and wished he understood if what he was seeing was good or not.

"Excuse me, Detective, but you need to buckle up," the medic said once he stepped into the chopper.

Danny moved to the nearest seat and sat down, buckling his seat belt and watching as the medic continued to monitor the injured man's condition. "What do those numbers tell you?"

"I'm not a doctor..."

"No, but you're a fully trained paramedic and I know you understand what those beeps and clicks mean," Williams said.

"His blood pressure's low and his heart rate's a little high. We're pumping fluids into him and once we get to the hospital the doctors will be able to tell you exactly what's happening," the man answered.

Danny understood the man really wasn't allowed to tell him what he thought was going on because of the possibility of being sued. It bothered him that his country, one he was proud of, was so well known for being sue-happy. Hell, with all the court shows and judges it was almost as bad as daytime soap operas.

Williams continued to watch what the paramedic was doing during the flight to Queens, and was relieved when he heard the pilot tell them they'd be landing in less than a minute. He looked at McGarrett, worried that the man hadn't moved since they'd taken off, even when the medic had placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. Danny had asked what it was for and all he as told was that it was precautionary.

_*'Come on, Steven, don't make me tell Gracie you won't be home for Christmas,'* _he thought.

"Detective, I'll need you to stay put until we get the commander out," the medic told him as the chopper touched down and several medical personnel hurried toward them with a gurney.

Williams stayed where he was as the flurry of activity coincided with the medic telling the doctor what treatments Steve had received since being rescued. He released his seat belt, but remained where he was while Steve was strapped to the gurney and rushed toward the hospital's emergency department. Taking a deep breath, Danny quickly followed and watched as McGarrett was whisked into a trauma room.

"Detective Williams, I was told you could help fill out his chart," a young nurse said from the main desk.

Danny knew he would not be allowed in the trauma room and would have to wait until the doctor came out to speak to him. He walked to the desk and took the papers, and stared at them. His eyes refused to focus as he tried to make sense of what had happened. This was supposed to be the perfect Christmas, not because he was in Hawaii, but because Grace would be spending it with him.

Danny didn't blame Steve for being hurt, nor did he blame him for not being able to spend more time with Grace. What bothered him was Steve's penchant for getting hurt. The man was a trouble magnet, and Danny just hoped the rest of the team wasn't collateral damage. He silently berated himself for his thoughts and knew Steve would never do anything to hurt them, at least not intentionally.

"Excuse me, Detective, is there a problem with the paperwork?" the nurse asked softly.

"Sorry...did you say something?"

"I need those forms filled out as soon as possible, but you seemed to be off in a world of your own," the woman said with a hint of a smile.

"I probably was. It comes with the territory," Williams said and began filling out the endless paperwork.

**5050505050 **

Inside Trauma One Dr. Scott Asai worked to save Steve McGarrett's life. The man had lost a lot of blood and they needed to replenish the fluids and get his blood pressure up. There were three major wounds that he could see, and who knew what was happening inside. The paramedic had been thorough and had left once he'd told Asai exactly what had been done for McGarrett.

The wounds to his leg and side had been cleaned, as was the one to his head, but again it was what he couldn't see that had him worried. McGarrett remained unconscious while the nurses cut off his clothing and never uttered a sound when Asai shone the light in his eyes to check for pupil reaction. There was no doubt the man would have headaches, especially with the amount of facial bruising that spoke of a brutal fight or injuries sustained when the plane went down. Either way Steve McGarrett would be a guest of the hospital for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on what they found.

Asai ordered a CAT scan and a full series of x-rays while one nurse took several vials of blood and another continued to hook up the hospital's emergency monitoring equipment. He glanced at the numbers and knew they needed to work fast to get him stabilized before they could take him to surgery and clean the wounds.

"Dr. Asai, portable x-ray is here," a nurse said.

"Good, okay, let's finish up and let them do their job. I'm going to go speak with Detective Williams," Asai told them. He removed the gloves from his hands and dropped them into the hazardous waste container before exiting the room to find a man waiting just outside the door.

"Doc, how is he?" Williams asked.

"Detective Williams?"

"Yes," the Jersey native answered.

"Come with me, Detective," Asai ordered and led the man toward the staff lounge across from the ER desk. He pushed the door open and motioned for Williams to enter the empty room. "Please, have a seat. Would you like a coffee?"

"No, thanks, Doc, I just need to know how Steve is doing?"

"He's a mess."

"Well, that's normal, but how's he really doing?" Williams asked seriously.

"Well, you know he lost a lot of blood and his pressure is low. We're pumping him full of fluids and blood. The wound to his leg is infected and we'll need to start him on IV antibiotics. The ones in his side are serious and we don't know yet about internal damage from the bullet. Then there's the problem with the head wound...or should I say wounds. From what I could see he was struck more than once and the wound above his eye will need stitches. It will take a couple of hours to run the tests I ordered and hopefully he'll be stabilized enough for surgery if it's necessary."

"Damn, is that all?" Williams asked sarcastically as he stood up and paced in front of the doctor.

"No, I wish it was. If surgery is necessary he'll need another blood transfusion and..."

"Don't tell me...his type is in short supply?"

"I'm afraid so. Commander McGarrett has the second rarest blood type and as such it's hard to keep a supply on hand. If you know anyone with B-..."

"I do."

"Can you get them to come to the hospital?"

"I don't need to."

"Why?"

"You're looking at him," Williams said simply.

"You and Commander McGarrett have the same blood type?"

"Yes, we do. I'll go give blood and remind the others at HPD to do the same," the Jersey native told him.

"Thank you, Detective, I know it sounds cliché, but it really is the gift of life you're giving," Asai told him.

"I know," Williams said. "Can I see him, Doc?"

"Not yet, give it about 30 minutes and ask at the main desk. I'll let them know if you can see him by then," Asai told him.

"Okay," Williams said and followed the man out the door.

"Tell the nurse at the desk you're going to donate blood and by the time you're done I should have news for you," Asai said and made his way back to the trauma room as the X-ray techs left the room.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Danny glanced at the clock across the room as the nurse removed the needle from his arm. He'd called Grace and then HPD and wasn't surprised when Duke told him there'd be plenty of volunteers at the hospital within the hour.

"Detective, make sure you eat and drink plenty of fluids," the woman said.

"I will," Williams said and smiled when she pressed a glass of orange juice into his hand. He drank most of it and stood up. "Thank you, Mandy."

"Actually, Detective, I should be the one thanking you. It appears your phone call worked and we have a line up of officers waiting to donate blood."

"Glad to hear it. I'll see if we can set up some kind of reminder so that phone calls won't be needed," Williams said and left the room. The nurse wasn't kidding about a line up, there had to be at least a dozen men and women standing or sitting in the waiting area. He nodded to the ones he knew and gave them what little information he had on McGarrett's condition.

Williams made his way back to the ER and spotted McGarrett's doctor just exiting the trauma room. "Doc, how is he?"

"He's still unconscious, Detective, and x-ray's show he has some internal injuries and I really don't have time to explain exactly what they are. We're just waiting for an OR to be ready."

"Can I stay with him while we wait?"

"Yes," Asai answered and hurried to the desk.

Danny pushed open the door and entered to find a nurse just changing the bag of IV fluid. "The doctor said I can stay with him until they're ready for him."

"He said you might be here," the woman said. "I have to check on my other patients, but he's being monitored from the main desk."

"Thanks," Williams said and pulled a chair closer to the bed. He sat down and looked at his partner, but Steve remained blissfully unaware he was there. "All right, Steven, you're going to do this in the usual kick-ass way and come through with flying colors. Christmas is almost here, so you have three days to show us what you're made of because I know you don't want to disappoint Grace. She's staying with Kamekona, but I need to go see her..."

"Go..."

"Steve?" Williams said and stood up, a relieved smile on his face when he saw McGarrett's eyes were open. "It's about time you woke up. You're a mess and those are the doctor's words so don't go giving me crap for it."

"Dan...ny...go...Grace."

"What?"

"Go," McGarrett tried again, swallowing through a throat that felt as arid as any of the deserts he'd been in. "Grace...needs you."

"Yes, she does, but she knows I'm here and she knows you're hurt. God, Steve, we've been looking for you since the plane crash and..."

"Fo...found me...go be with Grace."

"I will, once I know you're going to be all right," Williams explained as Asai came into the room. "He's awake."

"Good! Commander, I'm Dr. Asai. We're going to take you up to the OR now and hopefully get you fixed up and home in time for the New Year."

"Christmas," McGarrett told him.

"Not likely, but we'll see how things go when we're through. Detective Williams, you can wait in the SICU waiting room on the second floor," Asai explained.

"Danny...go, Grace needs you," the SEAL said as the staff began unhooking the equipment from the walls.

Danny moved out of the way and held the door while Asai and a nurse maneuvered the gurney out of the room. He knew he needed to update Chin and Kono, but he also wanted to be with Grace. "Doc, can I speak with you for a minute?"

"A minute is about all I can spare, Detective. What is it?"

"How long will he be in surgery?"

"It depends on the extent of the damage done by the bullet. It could be anywhere from an hour to three or four hours," Asai explained and hurried after the gurney.

Danny took a deep breath and made his way outside. He quickly called Chin and updated them on McGarrett's condition. Garcia had been officially declared dead and would soon be under Max Bergman's expertise. The Navy was giving Chin and Kono a ride back to Oahu and they'd be heading straight for Queens.

The next call he made was to Kamekona and he knew Grace would want to come to the hospital, but right now he didn't want her here. The hospital was no place for a little girl, especially when it meant waiting around for news. There was a playground nearby and Danny knew he could have Kamekona bring Grace there. He took out his phone and called Kamekona before striding out of the ER and along the path that would lead him to the playground.

**5050505050 **

Steve couldn't think straight as the gurney was pushed out of the elevator and onto the surgical floor of Queens Hospital. He swallowed several times, but there seemed to be no moisture to be found. He opened his eyes as they stopped and the doctor came to stand beside him.

"All right, Commander, I'm just going to check on the status of the OR."

"O...kay," McGarrett muttered and sighed tiredly as he fought to control the nausea churning through his gut. He closed his eyes, but opened them again when someone touched his arm.

"Hello, Commander, I'm one of the nurses who'll be working with Dr. Asai and Dr. Lombardi. We're going to move you to the OR and get you fixed up," the woman in surgical garb explained.

Steve nodded and soon found himself being moved from the gurney onto the surgical table in the OR. A bright light was overhead and forced him to keep his eyes closed as the anaesthesiologist explained what he was doing, but Steve didn't hear it all as the medication feeding into the IV line made him sleep.

**5050505050 **

"Danno!"

Danny Williams stood up and smiled as his daughter ran toward him with Kamekona following close behind. "Hey, Monkey," he said and lifted her into his arms.

"Kamekona said you found 'Uncle' Steve. Is he all right?"

Williams sat down on the park bench with her in his arms and nodded as the big man sat beside him. "He's been hurt pretty bad, Gracie, but he's..."

"A Super SEAL...that's what you called him right?"

"Right, that's what I call him, Honey."

"Can I go see him?" Grace asked.

"Not yet," Williams said. "The doctors have some work to do to make sure he recovers. It's going to take a couple of hours so I thought we could spend some time together...maybe get something to eat. Are you hungry?"

"A little," Grace answered.

"What do you want to eat, Monkey?" Williams asked.

"A hamburger and French fries," the child answered.

"Kamekona, tell me there's a good place for burgers around here?"

"Are you sure you want burgers and not pizza?" the big man asked.

"Grace?"

"I'm sure," the little girl said with a hint of a smile.

"Come on...there's a little place one street over. It's not very well known, but every time I've been there it's crowded with people from the hospital so that's a good sign...right?"

"Sounds like it," Williams said and stood up. He placed Grace on the ground and took her hand as Kamekona led them toward the front of the small park.

**5050505050 **

Chin and Kono entered the surgical waiting room to find Grace asleep on the small couch, while Danny, Kamekona, and several officers from HPD watched a news program.

"Danny, any word on Steve?" Kono asked softly.

"Not since they took him for surgery," Williams said and unconsciously glanced at his watch. "It's been four hours."

"It takes time, Danny," Chin offered and knew the other man was simply voicing his frustration.

"I know," the Jersey native said and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Knowing Steve, he's probably giving them hell for using my blood."

"Using your blood?" Kono asked.

"B-," Williams said with a hint of a smile. "It seems Steve and I do have one thing in common and my blood is probably flowing through his veins right now. I need to talk to him about keeping it safe in case he ever needs to return the favor."

"Damn, that should make him happy," Chin offered.

"Funny, Chin," Williams said. "Look, Dr. Asai said they're short on blood so I called HPD and asked for volunteers."

"I donated last week," Kono told them.

"So did I," Chin said.

"Most cops do, but we should see about giving a reminder because who knows when it'll happen to you," Williams said, standing when he recognized the man who entered the room. "Doc, how's Steve?"

"Sit down before you fall down, Detective," Asai ordered and took the seat across from the man. "Commander McGarrett is being settled in SICU as we speak and before you ask it'll be at least an hour before you can see him. Have you eaten?"

"Had a burger and fries," Williams answered. "Is Steve going to be all right?"

"I believe so, but you have to realize he's been through a lot. Between the trauma and blood loss and internal injuries caused by the bullet he's lucky he..."

"No luck, Doc, it's pure stubborn SEAL," Williams observed.

"Then in that case we need to find a way to bottle whatever makes him tick," Asai said and quickly updated the group on what he'd found during surgery.

"So he'll make it?" Chin asked.

"I believe so, yes," Asai told them and stood up. "Check with the nurses at the desk in about an hour and they'll let you know if he's ready for visitors. Just remember he'll probably sleep for the next 24 hours and if he is awake he'll probably be confused so just assure him he's fine and tell him where he is."

"We will, Doc, thanks," Williams said.

"Good, and Detective, once you've seen him I expect you to take your daughter home and get some rest," Asai ordered.

"We'll see that he does," Kono vowed.

"The rest of you should do the same, but I'm not going to make it an order unless I have to," Asai said and left the room.

"Danny, did you call the governor and update her?" Chin asked.

"Shit, I knew there was someone I forgot to call," Williams said.

"It's okay. She'll understand," Chin said and took out his cell phone. He spoke with the governor's aid before being put through to her and quickly gave her the rundown on McGarrett's condition.

Danny looked at his sleeping daughter and knew once he saw that Steve was okay with his own eyes, it would be time to take Grace home. God, he had no idea what day it was, and briefly wondered if he'd missed Christmas. How could he let anything interfere with being there for Grace? How could he put anyone ahead of her? Deep down, Williams knew he'd done no such thing, but the guilt gnawed at his gut as he reached down and gently swept her hair away from his face. He would do anything for her, hadn't he proved that when he'd followed her to Hawaii?

Danny knew he wasn't thinking clearly and blamed it on the lack of sleep since they'd gotten word that Steve's plane went down. How long ago was that? He sat back and glanced at the clock as most of the officers left to be with their families.

"Danny, why don't you take Grace home? Kono and I will stay here and update you on Steve," Chin said.

"Not yet. I want to see him, then I'll take Grace home," Williams said.

"All right," Chin agreed and knew there was no point in arguing with the other man.

Time seemed to crawl, but the minutes finally ticked by and Danny stood up. The only ones in the room now were Kamekona, Chin, Kono, and Grace who was still sleeping soundly.

"Kono will you watch Grace for me?" Williams asked, relieved when the woman said she'd make sure Grace was all right and that she would watch over her until her father returned for her. He walked out of the room, quickly made his way toward the nurse's desk and waited until the weary looking woman finished with the chart she had in her hand.

"Can I help you?"

"Dr. Asai said I could see Steve McGarrett," Williams said.

"Your name?"

"Detective Danny Williams," the Jersey native told her.

"Hold on and I'll check with his nurse to see if he's ready for a visitor," the woman told him and pressed a series of buttons.

"Yes, Jeanne?"

"Maylea, is Commander McGarrett ready for a visitor?"

"Give me a couple of minutes before you send anyone over," the nurse answered.

"Thanks, Maylea. Give her five minutes to finish making him comfortable," the woman said and gave him McGarrett's room number, and told him to follow the yellow line.

Williams nodded his head and followed the line to a room at the end of a corridor. The door was closed and so were the curtains so Danny leaned against the wall to wait for the nurse. It wasn't long before the curtains were drawn and the door was opened and a middle aged woman smiled as she motioned him inside.

"Dr. Asai told me you'd be coming, Detective Williams" Maylea said.

"How is he?"

"I'm sure Dr. Asai went over everything with you."

"Yes, he did, but I've always believed the nurses are the ones who should talk to the patient's family or friends," Williams told her.

"Well, thank you, Detective, we do take our jobs seriously."

"So tell me what those numbers mean to you?"

"I'm afraid there's not much I can tell you. Dr. Asai, wants us to keep an eye on his temperature and his blood pressure."

"How do they look now?"

"His temperature is a little high, but that's to be expected with everything he's been through. His blood pressure has come up quite a bit since the transfusions and fluids, so he's doing well," the woman answered.

"Thank you," Williams said and looked at his partner. Steve's face was pale beneath the bruises; he could see the stitched wound above his right eye and knew the blankets covered the worst of the damage. The tubes, leads, and IV lines told him McGarrett wouldn't be up and around in time for Christmas, at least not if Asai had anything to say about it.

"You look tired, Detective, and since Commander McGarrett will probably sleep for the next 12 to 24 hours you might as well go home and get some sleep," the nurse explained.

"You'll call if anything happens?"

"We'll call his next of kin," the woman answered.

"That's me...especially now that my blood is running through his veins," Williams said with a hint of a smile. "Take good care of him...I don't want to have to break in another partner."

"I will...good night, Detective."

"Goodnight, Maylea," Williams said and left the room, relieved that McGarrett lacked many of the items that were available in the ICU.

TBC

Author's Note—-Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, alerts and favs. You guys really are amazing and i wanted to thank the reviewers I can't answer because they don't have private messaging enabled...Winnie


	13. Chapter 13

Steve slowly became aware of his surroundings and tried to make sense of the clicks and beeps coming from his right. He licked at dry lips and opened his eyes, not really surprised when he recognized the equipment normally seen in a hospital room. He coughed and winced as the movement pulled at the wound in his side.

"Good morning, Commander, you're in Queens Hospital and you're going to be fine. My name is Sondra and I'll be one of the nurses taking care of you today? How do you feel?" Sondra Miller asked. She'd replaced Maylea at six and was aware that the patient was showing signs of waking up.

"Tired," McGarrett answered softly.

"You had surgery yesterday and you're being given medication to keep you comfortable. Dr. Asai will be here shortly and he'll explain more about what's going on," Miller explained and adjusted the flow of the IV as Asai walked into the room.

"Good morning, Commander, how are you feeling?" Asai asked and picked up the chart.

"Tired, but Sondra said it the medication and surgery," McGarrett answered and could already feel the medication taking affect and dragging him back to sleep.

"She's right about that," Asai said. "The medication will make you sleepy so don't fight it."

"Don't think I could if I tried," McGarrett told him.

"Good, go ahead and sleep. By the time you wake up again you'll probably be in a regular room and your friends can visit. You're a lucky man."

"Why?"

"Detective Williams donated blood...probably saved your life," Asai said.

"Blood...guess I sh...should thank him," McGarrett said and sighed as he gave in to the effects of the medication.

"I've signed the order that he can be moved, Sondra, but if anything changes before they have a room for him just call me. I'll be here for another hour or so," Asai told her.

"Yes, Doctor," Sondra said and initialed the changes before the man left her alone with her patient.

**5050505050 **

Williams took his daughter's hand as they walked toward the hospital's visitor's entrance and couldn't help but smile at the gift she held. She'd made Steve a card, and asked if they could stop at the little gift shop near the corner of Five-O headquarters. It was a Ken doll dressed in Navy blues, the blues supplied by the woman who ran the stand.

Grace then told him that Kamekona had introduced them and she'd shown them the Ken dolls and the clothing she made for them. Grace had dressed the doll in the Navy blues while they drove to the hospital. It was now tucked into a bright pink box with a silver bow. Danny had added his own touches to the doll from the first aid kit in his car. Grace had frowned when he wrapped gauze around the doll's head, waist, and leg, but she hadn't said anything as she tucked the doll back in the box. Danny couldn't wait to see his partner's reaction to it.

"Why did you do that?" Grace asked innocently.

"I wanted to make him look more like Steve," Williams answered simply.

"When will 'Uncle' Steve come home?" Grace asked.

"I don't know, Monkey, but he needs to stay here as long as the doctors tell him to," Williams answered. They were quiet during the elevator ride and along the corridor to McGarrett's room. Danny bit back his shock when he saw the empty bed, devoid of sheets and blankets, and swallowed past the lump that seemed to have blocked his throat.

"Danno, where's Uncle Steve?"

"I don't know, Grace..."

"Can I help you?"

"Where's Steve?"

"Steve?" the woman asked and her mouth dropped open as she realized what this scene must look like. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Someone should have called you..."

"Oh, God," Danny whispered and tried to shield his daughter.

"No, wait, I didn't mean that. Commander McGarrett was moved to a step down room earlier this morning."

"Moved?" Williams asked.

"Yes, just check at the desk and they'll tell you his new room number," the woman said.

"Thank you," the Jersey native said and hurried toward the main nurse's desk. "Steve McGarrett?"

"Pardon me?" the woman behind the desk said as she placed her hand over the phone.

"Steve McGarrett...I was told you could tell us what room he was moved to," Williams said.

"Just a minute."

Danny waited for her to finish her call, and return her attention to him. "Steve McGarrett," he repeated.

"Could you spell the last name?" the woman asked and typed in the name before answering. "He's been moved to room 324."

"Thank you," Williams said and headed toward the elevators.

"Are we going to see Uncle Steve now?" Grace asked.

"Yes," Williams told her and pushed the button. It wasn't long before they reached the third floor and followed the signs on the wall. They reached the door and heard voices inside and Danny wasn't surprised to find the governor standing beside McGarrett's bed.

"Come in, Detective," Jameson said and smiled at the little girl. "Hello, Grace, I must say you've grown since the last time I saw you."

"Thank you," the little girl said and shook the woman's out-stretched hand.

"Commander, I have a meeting in an hour, but if there's anything you need just give my office a call," Jameson said and left the room.

"Hi, Uncle Steve...does it hurt?" Grace asked when her father lifted her onto the edge of the bed.

"Not really..."

"That's because they are giving him some strong pain medication through that needle," Williams interrupted while he studied McGarrett' pale face.

"You could be right about that," the SEAL said and looked at the child sitting on his bed.

"My Daddy found you, Uncle Steve," Grace told him, pride evident in her voice.

"I know he did, and I owe him..."

"More than you know," Williams said with a grin.

"What's that mean?" the injured man asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later," the Jersey native said and leaned back as he motioned toward his daughter as Chin and Kono entered the room. "Right now Grace has a surprise for her Uncle Steve."

"Hey, Boss, how are you feeling?" Kono asked.

"Danno says he feels good because of the medication they put in his needle. I don't like needles," Grace told them.

"I don't think anyone does," Chin assured her and looked at the pink box in her hands. "Pink...good color for Steve."

"Very funny, Chin," McGarrett said as Grace held the box out to him.

"I bought this for you," the child told him.

"You did...thanks, Grace," McGarrett said and smiled at her. "Could you help me with the ribbon?"

"Sure," Grace said and tugged on the ends until the ribbon dropped away.

"Thanks," the SEAL said and pulled apart the pink tissue paper to reveal the doctored doll. He lifted it from the box and heard muffled laughter from the other members of Five-O.

"It's you, Uncle Steve. I even bought the Navy uniform. The lady was real nice about it. Do you like it?"

"I love it, but what happened to him?"

"Danno wanted him to look like you," Grace answered and frowned when the other laughed.

"Oh really?" McGarrett asked and stared at his partner who placed his hand over his mouth and turned away. "Do I really look like that?"

"No, you don't have a band aid on your head and you don't have a uniform on," Grace told him. "I tried to find a hospital..."

"That's okay, I'm glad you didn't," McGarrett said.

"I think it's great, Grace," Kono said.

"But I'd give Danny's additions a B-," Chin said and smiled when Williams choked and lifted his finger in warning as both Kono and Chin started to laugh.

"What's funny about B-?" McGarrett asked.

"Nothing," Williams said.

"What's your blood type, Boss?" Kono asked.

"B-...why?" the SEAL asked.

"You'll never guess who shares that rare type?" Chin asked.

"You?"

"No," Chin answered and watched McGarrett as he turned to Kono who raised her hands.

"Not me, Boss," the woman said.

"Danny?" McGarrett said.

"Got it in three," Williams answered with a grin as he raised both hands before clapping them together and moving toward the window. "Now that my blood runs through your veins maybe we can enjoy some Bon Jovi..."

"Not going to happen," McGarrett said.

"Oh, come on now, Steven, there's nothing like a little..."

"Very little," the SEAL said. "Danno, I owe you, but there's no way in hell..."

"Steven," Williams said and placed his hands over his daughter's ears. "There are children present."

"Danno loves Bon Jovi...he sings that song about Work for the Working Man," Grace told them.

"I bet he stands in front of a mirror with his brush singing at the top of his lungs," McGarrett said and suddenly felt the accumulated affects of the last week as his eyelids grew heavy and he yawned, but reached for the card that was taped to the box.

"I made it," Grace said.

"My daughter...the artist. Better hang on to that, Steven, it could be worth millions when she's famous," Williams said as McGarrett looked at the picture Grace had drawn. It showed a Navy ship with the US flag flying and one man standing on the deck.

"That's you, Uncle Steve," Grace said, delighted when Steve asked Kono to put the Ken Doll on the bedside table and to pin the card to the bulletin board at the foot of his bed.

"Thanks, Grace," Steve said and hugged her.

"Grace, I think Uncle Steve needs to get some sleep so we should go," Williams said.

"I'm good," McGarrett tried, but the truth was he really did feel like sleeping again.

"Come on, Monkey, let's go grab some lunch and we'll come back later," Williams said and helped his daughter down before looking at his partner. "As for you...behave and remember that's my blood running through your veins."

"Right," McGarrett said and sighed tiredly. "Hey, Danno?"

"Yes, Steven?"

"Thanks," the SEAL said.

"Anytime, now go to sleep. Chin, you and Kono make sure he stays put," Williams said and left the room.

"What day is it?" McGarrett asked.

"December 23rd," Chin answered.

"Think they'll let me out in time for Christmas?"

"Maybe...if you're talking about next Christmas," Kono answered.

"I was afraid you'd say that," McGarrett said.

"I know you had plans, Steve, but Danny will understand if it's delayed a week or so. The most important thing right now is to give yourself a chance to heal," Chin told him.

"I know," McGarrett said and heard the click that signaled the pump had just infused whatever pain medication Asai had prescribed.

"Go ahead and sleep, Steve, we'll check in on you later," Chin said.

"Take it easy, Boss, everything will work out," Kono said.

Steve nodded and closed his eyes as sleep beckoned to him. He thought about the plans he'd made and wished he could make Danny's wish of a white Christmas a reality, but right now that was far beyond his capability. He was stuck here and probably wouldn't even be out in time for Christmas. He turned slightly on his left side and was soon sleeping with just the click of the monitor to break the silence in the room.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

"Daddy," Grace Williams called as she looked at the tree in the corner of the living room.

"Yes, Monkey?" Williams answered from the kitchen where he was busily making breakfast. It was Christmas Eve morning and with McGarrett down, the governor had told them all to take some down time. He was only too glad too spend that time with his daughter.

"Uncle Steve was sad yesterday, wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was," Williams answered and buttered the bagels as soft strains of Silent Night filled the room.

"He's sad because he won't be home for Christmas."

"I know. Come eat and we'll go visit him."

"Can we bring Christmas to him?"

"Bring Christmas to Steve?"

"Yes, we could get a little tree and some decorations and maybe ask Uncle Chin and Aunt Kono to help. We could make cookies and sing carols and you could ask Aunt Kono to call Uncle Steve's girlfriend and she could show up on Christmas morning..."

"Hold on, Grace..."

"You don't like the idea?"

"I didn't say that, but it's going to be a lot of work."

"We can get lots of people to help. What about all the people at the police station; we could ask them to come to the hospital."

"What about your Christmas?"

"We can bring our presents to the hospital and open them with Uncle Steve," Grace said.

"What kind of cookies should we make?"

"How about those chocolate cookies with the marshmallow in the middle and icing on the top?"

"It's a lot of work," Williams observed.

"We can get Kamekona to help."

"Well, he'll probably eat more than we can make."

"Then we'll make a big batch," Grace said. "Can we call Uncle Steve's girlfriend?"

"We can try, but if she's on duty she may not be able to get away," Danny said and poured his daughter a glass of milk. "You drink that and eat your breakfast while I call Kono."

"Okay, Danno," Grace said, happy that they'd be doing something for her 'Uncle' Steve. She liked her father's friends and knew Danno liked Steve even though he sometimes said his insurance rates would go through the roof if he kept Steve as a partner. She didn't know what insurance rates were, but she knew they needed it because even Stan and her mother had it.

"All right," Williams said and rubbed his hands together before sitting next to his daughter. "Chin and Kono will be here in half an hour and we'll see if we can work this out."

Grace smiled at her father, excitedly bouncing in her seat at the idea of bringing Christmas to her 'Uncle' Steve. She knew it would take a lot of work, but if they all chipped in they could get it done.

"I'll need to find out what the hospital policy is before we go bringing anything in. We might even be able to set it up in one of the rooms the doctors and nurses use for meetings."

"Or we could fix up his room while he's gone for tests or x-rays," Grace suggested.

"Not a bad idea. We could arrange for him to be out of his room for an hour or so tomorrow morning," Williams said, amazed at how excited his daughter was getting and knew he would find a way to make this happen.

**5050505050 **

The lab tech had been in before sunrise and taken several vials of blood before leaving him alone with his thoughts. He was frustrated, yet he knew there was nothing he could do until the doctor signed his discharge papers, and right now that didn't seem like it was going to happen today, or tomorrow for that matter.

Steve lay back against the pillow with his eyes closed as Asai and a nurse discussed the results of his latest blood tests. He knew he should probably listen to what they were saying, but right now he was so damned angry with himself. He knew he was in no shape to go home, but that didn't lessen the disappointment of not being able to surprise Danny and Grace.

"Commander."

Steve opened his eyes at the man's voice and knew what he was about to say. "Go ahead, Doc."

"I know you'd like to spend Christmas at home with your family, but I'm afraid that's just not possible right now. Your blood pressure is still a little low and your temperature is a little on the high side. I can't sign discharge papers until I'm satisfied there's nothing more going on," Asai explained.

"I could sign myself out," McGarrett said.

"You could, but you're a lot smarter than that and I know your partner would never let you live down that kind of reckless decision," Asai told him and saw the look in his patient's eyes, one he'd seen many times, and wished there'd come a time when he didn't have to keep a family apart. "Look, Commander, you'll be able to celebrate, it'll just have to wait a week or so. I'm sure your family will understand."

"They will...I'm lucky that way," McGarrett said.

"Well, I believe by this afternoon we can let you have solid foods so you'll be able to enjoy the turkey and stuffing," Asai observed.

"Are you sure you're not trying to prolong my stay?" McGarrett asked with a hint of a smile.

"Now it's not really that bad, is it?" Asai asked.

"How often do you eat in the cafeteria?" the SEAL asked.

"Point taken," Asai said and made several notations on McGarrett's chart. "Okay, Commander, I've written up new orders to have the pump changed so you can take the medication as you need it. The pump is regulated so you don't have to worry about taking too much."

"Thanks, Doc," McGarrett said.

"You're welcome. Now I'm taking a few days off, but my colleague, Dr. Marseille will be here and the staff will call him if you need anything at all," Asai said.

"Thanks, Doc."

"_Mele Kalikimaka,_ Commander," Asai said.

"_Mele Kalikimaka, Doc," McGarrett told him and watched the man leave as the nurse changed the IV solution._

_"__I believe __National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation__ is on this morning, Commander," Miki told him. _

_"__One of my favorites," McGarrett said. _

_"__I do enjoy it. Now, Commander, I'll be back shortly with your breakfast and your meds," the woman said and hurried from the room._

_Steve sighed heavily and looked at the card Grace Williams had made for him and couldn't help, but smile. Danny's little girl had adopted the whole team ever since the first Christmas when they'd helped him with a small Christmas celebration. That was why this one had been so important to him; he'd wanted to show Danny that Hawaii wasn't a pineapple-infested hellhole. It was paradise as long as you kept your Ohana close by. _

_**5050505050 **_

_"__Danny, I contacted Catherine and she's going to try and get here tomorrow, but she's not sure whether or not she can clear it through her CO," Kono explained. They'd arrived at Kamekona's Shrimp truck at ten and were making plans for the next day with help from the big man and several officers from HPD. _

_"__What about Mary?" Williams asked._

_"__She's got a flight booked this afternoon and will call. Officer Mitford will pick her up and bring her to your place," Chin answered. _

_"__Governor Jameson is clearing the party with the hospital administration, but she can't be there," Williams told them. _

_"__What about food?" Kono asked._

_"__You wound me," Kamekona said and held his hand against his broad chest. "I could supply the food."_

_"__Better to wound you than to poison Steve," Williams told him. _

_"__We want real turkey, not Tofurkey, Big Guy," Williams said._

_"__What about Turducken? I make a mean..."_

_"__No, we're trying to help make him better, not kill him," Chin teased._

_"__You people don't know what you're missing," Kamekona said. _

_"__Yes, we do and it's called salmonella," Williams told him. _

_"__See if I make you any shrimp scampi anymore..."_

_"__Okay, can we get back to the dinner menu?" Kono asked and turned to Grace. "Your dad said you're making some special cookies. Can I help you with them?"_

_"__Sure, but we have to make them today...after Danno and I pick out a tree," Grace said. _

_"__What about decorations?" Chin asked._

_"__We can pick some up when we get the tree," Danny assured them._

_"__Okay, what about food?" Kamekona asked._

_"__I can call Uncle Keahi and ask him if he can cater the lunch tomorrow," Chin offered. "He can do a traditional Hawaiian lunch..."_

_"__Just as long as there's no turkey pizza or anything with pineapple on it," Williams said. _

_"__Turkey pizza...now there's something you could try, Kamekona," Chin said with a grin._

_"__People would probably flock to your door for some of that," Williams said sarcastically. He glanced at his watch and knew it was time to visit McGarrett before taking Grace on her mission to find the perfect tree for her 'Uncle' Steve. "All right, it's time for Grace and I to find Christmas for a certain SEAL while the rest of you figure out what to serve and how to get it set up without Steve getting suspicious."_

_"__I'll call you after I talk to Uncle Keahi," Chin said as Williams took his daughter's hand and walked across the sand, toward the parking lot. If they pulled this off, then just maybe they could all feel better about celebrating the special meaning of Christmas. _

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

_The morning dragged for Steve as he tried to pass the time watching television or sleeping, depending on how he felt. God, he was so damned bored, and would be more than happy to listen to a Danny rant if it meant breaking the monotony of looking at four walls. The nurse had come in several times and helped him with a light bath that included washing his hair and changing into a clean set of hospital pajamas. _

_Steve glanced at the window, feeling the rays of the sun as they swept across the room. He heard footsteps outside his door and smiled when Grace Williams stepped into the room and walked toward him._

_"__Hi, Uncle Steve."_

_"__Hi, Grace, where did you come from?" McGarrett asked when she reached him. _

_"__Danno brought me. He's talking to the nurse, but he'll be here in a minute," Grace told him and climbed onto the bed. "When are you going home?"_

_"__That depends on the doctor, but it looks like I'm stuck here for a while," the SEAL answered. _

_"__Are you sad?"_

_"__A bit...I'd rather be home, but I don't think all of this stuff would fit in my house," McGarrett told her. _

_"__You could stay with us. We'd take care of you," Grace offered._

_"__Thanks, Grace, I might just take you up on that when I get out of here."_

_"__Take her up on what?" Williams asked from the open doorway._

_"__Grace said I could stay with you two when I get out of here," McGarrett answered. _

_"__Sure there's plenty of room in my closet or we could turn the table into a bed for you," Williams said with a grin and clapped his hands together. _

_"__He could sleep in my bed," Grace offered._

_"__Where would you sleep?" McGarrett asked. _

_"__I could sleep on the floor and pretend we're camping," the little girl told them. _

_"__Thanks, Grace, but I don't want to make you sleep on the floor, but maybe you and Danny could stay at my place. There's an extra room," McGarrett said. _

_"__That's not a bad idea," Williams observed and turned to his daughter. "What do you say, Grace? Do you want to play nurse for your 'Uncle' Steve?"_

_"__I can bring my doctor's kit."_

_"__Just as long as there are no needles involved," McGarrett said._

_"__Guess that depends on how well you behave," Williams said and smiled when his daughter took the headphones and placed them over her ears while surfing through the few available channels on the television. "What did the doctor say this morning?"_

_"__He said things look good, but I'm not getting out of here yet," McGarrett answered. _

_"__I'd be surprised if he said anything different. You're here because it's where you need to be," the Jersey native told him._

_"__I know, but I wish...you should go home and spend time with Grace."_

_"__I am spending time with Grace."_

_"__I know, but I'm sure she'd rather be at the park or visiting Santa," McGarrett said._

_"__We're going to the beach this afternoon and Kamekona already took her to see Santa,. Besides it was her idea to visit you," Williams answered. _

_"__Thanks, Danno," McGarrett said with a hint of a smile as the nurse came in with his lunch tray. _

_"__Sorry, Commander, I didn't mean to interrupt," the woman said and placed the tray on the table. "I'll be back after you eat and maybe we can get you out of that bed for a while."_

_"__Thanks, Cassie," McGarrett said and raised the head of the bed while holding his right arm tight against his side. He nodded as Williams offered to lift the cover off the plate and was pleasantly surprised by what he found there. _

_"__Maybe I should see if they are serving that in the cafeteria," Williams said of the beef casserole. He lifted the fork, but dropped it when the patient slapped at his hand. _

_"__Get your own," McGarrett said and smiled when Grace turned to look at him. "You want to try some, Grace?"_

_"__No...Danno is taking me to McDonald's," the child answered and looked at her father. "Right Danno?"_

_"__Right, Monkey, we'd better get moving," Williams said and turned to his partner. "If you need anything just call...Okay?"_

_"__Okay, thanks, Danny," McGarrett said and smiled when Grace kissed his cheek before jumping down from the bed. "I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for, Grace."_

_"__He already did," Grace said with a smile and a tilt of her head as she reached for her father's hand._

_"__Danny, stay home tomorrow...I'm not going anywhere and you need to spend time with Grace," McGarrett said._

_"__Maybe...we'll see," Williams said and left the room._

_Steve looked at the food and used his fork to move it around. Although it did smell good, he just had no interest in eating right now. He lay back against the pillows and closed his eyes, but sleep wasn't something his body needed right now. He wanted to move, needed to prove to himself that he could still do the 'deed'. _

_McGarrett pushed the tray aside and slowly sat up, sliding his legs over the edge and ignoring the pull on the wound in his leg and side. He breathed through tightly clenched teeth as he lowered himself to the floor and stood on shaky legs. It took him a minute to get used to being on his feet and to ignore the shock wave of pain that told him this was probably a bad move. _

_Steve took a deep breath, ignoring the reminder of bruised ribs and other injuries as he reached for the IV pole. He looked toward the main door and noticed the washroom door was right next to it. That was his destination, and although it was no big feat, it would prove to himself that he may have been down, but he was far from out. _

_Taking a deep breath, Steve moved one foot in front of the other and was soon halfway across the room. He realized that if he got dizzy now or passed out he'd wind up on the floor. If that happened he'd be on the receiving end of a Danny rant that would make the others look like a Church Choir. He lifted his head and was surprised to find he was directly in front of his goal. He moved inside the washroom and pulled the IV pole inside, but that made it impossible to close the door all the way. _

_McGarrett took care of his most pressing needs and found a cloth hanging next to the sink. He wet it and for the first time he looked at his hands. The knuckles were bruised and scraped and he knew it was from his fight with Garcia. At least the bastard was down for good and couldn't hurt anyone else. He washed the cloth over his face before turning and pushing the door open enough to maneuver the IV pole out of the small washroom. _

_Steve was halfway across the room when he heard voices nearing his room. He knew it was Chin and Kono, and knew there was no way he could make it to his bed before they caught him. He continued toward the bed, and grabbed for the table when his left leg threatened to give out on him._

_"__Whoa, Boss, you end up on the floor and..."_

_"__I'm not going to end up on the floor, Kono," McGarrett griped once she and Chin had helped him back into bed. _

_"__Were you supposed to be up and around?"_

_"__No, he was not. At least not without assistance, Commander," Cassie scolded. She'd been bringing in a bag of antibiotics when she'd heard them helping the injured man back to bed._

_"__I needed to take care of something," McGarrett said as she started the antibiotics._

_"__That's what the button is for, Commander. All you had to do was push it and I would have come in to help you. I will need to check your leg and make sure you didn't pull those stitches out," Cassie explained._

_"__It's fine," the SEAL lied._

_"__Well, Dr. McGarrett, when did you get your medical degree?" Cassie asked with a teasing smile._

_"__She's got your number, Boss," Chin observed as the woman eased back the bandage and checked the wound. _

_"__I don't think you did any damage, but the next time contact the desk and I'll be here to help," the woman said and pointed to the tray. "Now, I believe it's time you finished that."_

_"__I'm..."_

_"__Going to eat your lunch and then, if you feel like it, I'll help you into the chair and you can sit by the window for a while," the nurse offered, pleased when her patient picked up the fork and started to eat. "Just buzz me when you're done, Commander."_

_"__I will...thanks, Cassie," McGarrett said and turned to his visitors. "What's happening at the office?"_

_"__Nothing pressing. The governor has given us a week off unless something comes up before then," Chin answered._

_"__A week...guess I should be out of here by then," the SEAL observed._

_"__She thought you'd say that and told me to tell you you're not allowed anywhere near HQ until Dr. Asai discharges you," Chin said._

_"__He should discharge me by then..."_

_"__Not what she meant and you know it," Kono said._

_"__I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_"__Oh, really?" Chin asked. "According to her orders she expects you to bring a written note from Asai stating that you are free and clear and allowed back to work. Otherwise she'll have you banned from the office."_

_"__Damn," McGarrett whispered. "You two should go."_

_"__We just got here," Kono said._

_"__I know and it's not that I don't appreciate the company, but it's Christmas Eve and I know you both had plans so get out of here," McGarrett ordered. _

_"__Are you sure?" Chin asked._

_"__Yes," the SEAL answered simply._

_"__All right, Boss, but you call if you need anything," Kono ordered._

_"__I will," McGarrett said and watched them leave. He looked at what was left of his meal with little interest, but forced himself to eat. If he wanted out of here he'd have to eat and drink what they brought him. By the time he finished his meal the pump had kicked in and the meds were lulling him toward sleep._

_Cassie Edwards checked on her patient, only slightly surprised to find him sleeping. She moved the table away from the bed, and checked the IV lines and other equipment before straightening the blankets and lowering the head of the bed slightly. As she was leaving the room, she thought she heard a softly mumbled thanks and smiled at how easily this man could get under her skin. If she was a single woman she might just make a pass at him, but as it was she had a fiance who loved her and she loved him in return. _

_**5050505050 **_

_Steve opened his eyes and knew it was late as he turned to look out the window on his left. Danny had called and offered to come over and keep him company, but he reminded his partner that it was Christmas Eve and he had a daughter who was expecting Santa to come tonight. Kono and Chin had also called, but he'd made the excuse that he was tired and was just going to sleep. _

_The afternoon had dragged by, with nothing to do, but watch news programs, soaps, or court shows, none of them kept his interest for very long. He'd slept fitfully, and managed to get out of bed on several occasions, without anyone catching him in the act. He raised the head of his bed and looked at his watch on the table. It was a little after three in the morning, and although he felt tired, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he worked off some of the aches and pain in his mind and body. _

_Slipping his legs over the edge of the bed, Steve was soon standing on his own two feet and holding onto the IV pole. He thought about taking a walk, but the hallway lights were turned down and he knew the night nurses would gladly read him the riot act when they caught him. That left him only one option and he slowly moved across the room and back, covering the short distance with just a hint of the pain he'd felt earlier. _

_McGarrett thought about his family, his extended family that included Danny and Grace Williams, Kono Kalakaua, Chin Ho Kelly, and Catherine Rollins. They were as much a part of his life now as his sister, Mary, was. With the death of his father he'd known what it meant to give a hostage to fortune. Because of his job, no one in his family was safe; yet, giving it up would not make that go away. _

_Steve stood for several minutes, keeping his weight off his injured leg as he looked out over the city he called home. Hawaii, like every other state, had seen its share of criminals, insurgents, and terrorists; there were never enough people to fight them. _

_McGarrett knew he should get off his feet, but the truth was he knew there was no way he'd get any more sleep while his mind was working in overdrive. He kept thinking about Garcia and his threat to bring in the Juarez family or the Ortiz brothers. Either one would mean danger to his friends and family; he wished there was some way he could keep them all safe. Unfortunately, as long as there were men like Garcia, then there'd always be a threat to those he cared about and those he didn't even know like Lieutenant Donna Sterling, and yet, she was dead. _

_"__Commander, is everything all right?" a female voice asked from the open doorway._

_"__It's fine, Sylvia," McGarrett answered. _

_"__Is there a problem with the bed?"_

_"__No, why?"_

_"__Well, it's late and you really should be sleeping. Since you're not then I thought it might be the bed," the nurse told him._

_"__No, the bed's fine. I just have a lot on my mind," McGarrett told her._

_"__Would you like something to help you sleep? I could call Dr. Asai and see if you can have something," Sylvia offered._

_"__No, thanks..."_

_"__How about a cup of hot chocolate? I've always found it helps me sleep?"_

_"__Thanks, but I don't think that'll work for me," McGarrett told her. _

_"__It can't hurt," she said._

_"__True," the SEAL agreed with a slight smile._

_"__Good, why don't I help you back to bed and I'll get the hot chocolate and your meds," the nurse said and took his arm. _

_Steve allowed her to help him back into bed and he glanced at his watch when she left the room. He flicked through the channels and stopped when he found an old movie, one he'd watched with his dad and mom as a kid. George Bailey was a lucky man, and had proved that friends, family, and faith were the three things a man needed most in his life. _

_"__Here you go, Commander," the nurse said and placed the cup of hot chocolate on his table. _

_"__Thanks, Sylvia," McGarrett said and took a sip of the hot liquid. "It's good."_

_"__My secret recipe, so drink all that," she said and changed the bag of IV solution. _

_Steve smiled at the woman and sighed heavily once she'd left the room. He looked at the cup of hot chocolate and felt himself transported back in time, not physically, but emotionally. His mother had always made hot chocolate for them on Christmas morning, watching as they opened their presents while she was snuggled up on the floor with their father._

_Steve finished the hot chocolate and closed his eyes. It took some time, but sleep finally came for him and when the nurse checked on him half an hour later he was sleeping soundly. She moved the table away from the bed and made sure the IV was running properly before she left the room._

_TBC_


	16. Chapter 16

Danny Williams watched his daughter sleeping and smiled at the innocence of childhood. Grace looked like an angel; her face framed by the golden light from the hallway. When she was a baby, he used to stand beside the crib and watch her sleep, amazed at the miraculous gift bestowed upon him by the woman he loved. He still loved, Rachel, but he also hated her for taking away his dream. He knew it wasn't all her fault, but he also couldn't help being the man he was.

Danny eased the door closed and made his way back to the living room. The lights from the tree cast a soft glow over the presents nestled beneath the branches. He knew he could never give her the expensive gifts that Stan and Rachel could, but he was happy providing her with gifts from the heart, and all the love a parent could have for a child.

Danny thought about the last Christmas and how Kono, Chin, and Steve had banded together to help him make sure Grace had a wonderful Christmas. Now it looked as if his daughter would do the same by bringing Christmas to her 'Uncle' Steve. A smile formed on his face as he realized that between Rachel and him, they'd done a great job with their daughter in spite of their own problems. He glanced at the clock above the television and realized he'd need some sleep if he was going to be of any use with today's plans.

Williams lay back on the couch and closed his eyes, and could hardly wait to see the look on his partner's face. This was going to be good, and he sighed as he gave in to the call of sleep.

**5050505050 **

Mary McGarrett wasn't surprised to walk into the kitchen and find Catherine Rollins not only up, but showered and dressed. She'd insisted the woman who'd captured her brother's heart stay at the house so that they could meet the others at the hospital at noon. There were muffins on the table and a fresh pot of coffee brewing on the counter.

"Good morning, Mary. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"A couple of hours."

"Anxious to see Steve?" Mary smiled knowingly as Catherine placed a plate in front of her.

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Yes, I was here during your last visit. Remember?"

"Ah, yes, I need to talk to Steve about soundproofing the walls," Catherine said.

"Don't worry, I'll make myself scarce the next time."

"Or I could buy you some headphones," Catherine said with a serious look that didn't quite reach her eyes. They stared at each other until both laughed and reached for a muffin.

"Maybe I should ask if your intentions are honorable where my brother is concerned?"

"I guess that depends on what you call honorable," Catherine answered and again they couldn't help laughing.

"If Steve was here he'd read me the riot act for saying these things," Mary told her.

"Yes, well, we'll keep it between ourselves and if he ever questions one of your boyfriends I'll..."

"What if they're girlfriends?"

"Oh...how about significant other?"

"That works, but rest assured I'm straight, although I do admit to being curious," Mary told her.

"You're not the only one," Catherine answered honestly. "Although when I look at your brother there's no temptation to find out how the other side lives."

"So you're only after him for his looks?"

"No, his body isn't bad either."

"Oh, I don't think we should continue with this conversation. I'd rather not hear the intimate details of my brother's attributes from his girlfriend. Think I should grab a shower and make sure everything is ready to go," Mary said and took her coffee and muffin with her.

Catherine took a sip of her coffee and thought about her lover. Steve McGarrett really had gotten to her and she doubted she'd ever have a serious relationship with anyone else. Right now, though, her career took precedence and it seemed Steve was also concentrating on his profession. When the time came and they were both ready to settle down, then just maybe they'd find their way into each other's arms.

**5050505050 **

"Commander, how would you like to go outside for a while?" Cassie Edwards asked upon entering the room to find McGarrett watching television. She knew his friends were in the waiting room and anxious to set up for the Christmas celebration. She'd spoken with the head of the hospital board who'd gotten a call from the governor and things had been set in motion.

"Sounds good," McGarrett said. He'd been awake since the lab tech had come to take a sample of his blood and although the pain medication helped, he ached all over.

"I'll be right back with a wheelchair."

"I can walk."

"Yes, and I know I wouldn't be the only nurse watching you do that, but if you put too much pressure n your leg you will pull the stitches. I don't think you want that to happen when it would mean adding on a couple of extra days to your stay here," Cassie explained.

"A wheelchair sounds good," McGarrett readily agreed. He sat up and slid his legs over the edge of the bed, staying where he was as the room seemed to fade in and out several times. He forced a smile to his face when the nurse returned with a wheelchair and slippers for his feet.

"All right, Commander, I'll bring you downstairs before I go too lunch. I should be gone around half an hour, but if you need to go back to your room before then just ask one of the volunteers to take you back here."

"Thanks, Cassie," McGarrett said and waited for her to transfer the IV to the hook attached to the back of the wheelchair. Asai had changed the orders so that he could take the pain medication when he needed to and Cassie had switched it over just before breakfast.

"You're welcome. Would you like a blanket?"

"No, thanks," the SEAL told her.

"I have today's paper at the desk if you'd like something to read," Cassie said and pushed him from the room. She took the paper from the desk and handed it to McGarrett before continuing toward the elevators.

Once outside, Steve took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled at the nurse before assuring her that he'd be fine where he was. He opened the paper and thought about his sister, wondering where she was and whether or not he could reach her on her cell phone. The words on the paper blurred and he knew it wouldn't hold his interest as he watched several people at a nearby picnic table. They seemed to be celebrating Christmas in spite of the numerous IV bags and monitoring equipment attached to the patient.

A heavy sigh escaped as he thought about his team and he knew he should be happy they weren't stuck here, but the truth of the matter was, he was disappointed no one had come to visit him. Shaking his head, Steve turned his attention to the newspaper and tried to ignore the loneliness that swept through him.

**5050505050 **

Danny watched as Grace put the star on top of the small tree and stood back to survey her work. There were colored balls and sparkling lights adorning the branches. Chin and Kono had placed decorations around the room while Mary and Catherine placed the food on a table that was brought from the nurse's lounge.

Kamekona was busy putting on the Santa suit they'd found and was whistling Here Comes Santa Claus. The tune was surprisingly well done and it didn't surprise Danny when he found himself singing along as he placed a wreath over Steve's bed. They'd brought in a small laptop and would be playing Christmas music; the only stipulation was that they keep the door closed and the noise down.

"Excuse me, Detective, but Cassie just called to say they're on their way back," a nurse told them before closing the door once more.

"All right, People, you heard her," Williams said. "Chin, close the blinds. Kono get the lights. Mary, you and Catherine hide in the bathroom; Kamekona, you...you just get ready with the best ho-ho-ho you can do."

"What about me and you, Danno?" Grace asked.

"We need to help Kamekona...you and I are elves," Williams said and lifted her into his arms. It wasn't long before they heard voices outside the door and Danny heard his daughter giggle before she placed her hand over her mouth.

**5050505050 **

McGarrett waited for Cassie to check in at the main desk and let them know that he was back on the floor. He smiled when she returned and pushed his chair toward his room. Once there she pushed it open and smiled as she turned the chair around and backed him into the room. Steve rubbed at his eyes and frowned when he realized how dark his room was.

"Did someone forget to pay their electric bill?" McGarrett said lightly.

"No, but if the lights were on it would have ruined the surprise, Uncle Steve," Grace said and flipped on the light switch.

"Merry Christmas, Steven," Williams said, smiling at the way Steve eyes lit up as he looked around the room.

"Ho-Ho-Ho," Kamekona said as Kono hugged McGarrett and Chin took control of the wheelchair. The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.

"What's all this?" the SEAL asked.

"What's it look like, Steve?" Williams asked.

"Christmas," McGarrett mumbled.

"Exactly," Williams said. "Grace came up with the idea since you would be alone in here. She planned everything."

"Danno helped and so did Uncle Chin and Aunt Kono...and Santa Kamekona," Grace supplied.

"Santa Kamekona...it suits you," McGarrett told the big man.

"Thank you, Brah, now let's see if Santa thinks you've been a good boy. What do you want for Christmas?"

"To go home," McGarrett answered.

"Ah, but Santa brings gifts, not miracles," the big man joked. "Tell me something I can provide."

"How about me?" Mary asked and saw the look of surprise on her brother's face when she stepped from the bathroom.

"Mary, I thought you were spending Christmas with Gary's family?" McGarrett said of the man she'd been seeing for the last three months.

"I was, but when Kono called and said you were hurt I had to come check on you. Why didn't you call me earlier?"

"I didn't want to worry you," the SEAL said and hugged his sister.

"What's the excuse for not calling me?" Catherine asked with a smile as she walked over and knelt in front of the injured man.

"Cat...how did they...how did you..."

"Grace can be quite convincing when she wants to be," Catherine told him and took his hand in hers. "You're a real mess."

"Uncle Steve, we brought presents."

"Yes, you did, Grace," McGarrett said and kissed the woman before him.

"Not people presents, Uncle Steve, real presents," Grace said as Kamekona lifted the bag from behind the bed.

"Hey, Boss, want some eggnog?" Kono asked.

"Only if it's got a little kick to it," McGarrett told her.

"Sorry, no alcohol allowed," Kono answered.

"We brought lemonade too?" Grace offered.

"Did you make it?" the SEAL asked.

"Danno helped me," the child said. "We made marshmallow cookies too."

"The one with the chocolate icing on top?"

"Yes," Grace said.

"I'll have one of those and a glass of lemonade," McGarrett told her and watched as Grace took her father's hand before walking toward the table with the refreshments. Steve smiled at the woman before him and knew he could spend the rest of his life wrapped in her arms if she'd have him, but for now they'd have to be content with their stolen moments. In this case he owed these stolen moments to Grace and Danny Williams. He pulled Catherine close and smiled when she held up a sprig of mistletoe.

"I do believe we have to keep with tradition, Commander," Catherine whispered and pressed her lips against his. "I have several days leave due me...how would you feel about a private nurse when you're released?"

"A private nurse...does that include sponge baths?"

"Only if you return the favor."

"You're on," McGarrett said.

"What's a sponge bath?" Grace asked, and frowned when the adults in the room choked and coughed as if she'd said something funny.

"It's when SpongeBob gets in the tub," Williams tried and saw his daughter's eyebrows draw together in much the same way his did when he was curious about something.

"Here you go, Uncle Steve," Grace said and handed him a plate with two cookies on it.

"Thanks, Grace," McGarrett said, relieved to have the subject changed.

"All right, Brah, it's time for presents," Kamekona said. "Grace, would you be my helper?"

"Sure," the little girl said and moved to stand beside Kamekona as he reached into the bag. "To Steve, from Governor Jameson."

Grace took the brightly wrapped gift and brought it over to the injured man. She smiled when Catherine moved out of the way and allowed her to give her 'uncle' his gift.

Steve took it, and frowned as he opened the gift to find an emergency kit. He opened the case and smiled at the little additions the woman had made. There were several MREs, a vacuum packed thermal blanket, a bottle of water, and numerous bandages in several different shapes and sizes. The clincher was a small handbook on how to survive in the wilderness.

"She forgot something," Williams said.

"What?" McGarrett asked.

"A roll of duct tape and a couple of sticks. Isn't that all you needed when you broke your arm?" the Jersey native said as Kamekona handed Grace the next gift, this one was from him and he couldn't help smiling as Steve opened the bag and pulled out the two items he'd just mentioned.

"Funny, Danno," McGarrett said and showed the others the roll of navy blue duct tape and two sticks.

"Just what a bad-ass SEAL needs," Williams said and realized his mistake when Grace told him he'd said a bad word.

"Santa better have a good supply of coal in his bag," Chin said with a grin.

"This Santa does," Kamekona said and produced a lump of coal. "I believe this one is made out to Detective Danny Williams."

"Ha ha, that's funny, Santa, I hope you have an unlimited supply," Williams said.

"As a matter of fact I've been thinking about expanding my business to include a coal mine. Santa would probably be grateful for a readily available supply," Kamekona said.

Steve drank in the sight of his friends and laughed as each of the gag gifts were given out. He felt Catherine's hand in his own and looked into her eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said and squeezed his hand gently. She could see the pain in his eyes and knew it was time for him to get back in bed and push the button for relief brought by the pain meds. She glanced toward Danny who nodded that he'd seen what she had.

"Okay, Steven, I guess it's time to let you get your beauty sleep," Williams said.

"I'm good," McGarrett lied.

"Now, Brah, Santa's going to give you a lump of coal too if you don't tell the truth," Kamekona advised.

"Don't argue with Santa, Boss," Kono said and began cleaning up. There were plenty of leftovers and she planned to leave them in the nurse's lounge, but the tree and the gifts would stay put until McGarrett was out of the hospital.

"Grace," McGarrett said and waited for the little girl to finish placing the gifts under the tree. He took her hands in his and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Thank you for doing this for me."

"You're welcome, Uncle Steve," she said with a big smile.

"When I get out of here I'm taking you to dinner and a movie or anywhere you'd like to go."

"Like a date?"

"Sure," McGarrett said.

"Can your girlfriend and Danno come too?"

"If they want to," the SEAL told her.

"What about the rest of us?" Mary asked.

"You can come too. Maybe we could have a picnic?" Grace suggested.

"Well, we'll leave that discussion for another day," Williams told them. "Come on, Grace, let's go home and play with that new Wii game."

"Bye, Uncle Steve."

"Bye Grace," McGarrett said.

"Take care, Brah," Chin said as he, Kono, and Kamekona left the room.

"Well, since three's a crowd I'm going to go see what's happening at the beach," Mary said, hugging her brother before leaving him and Catherine alone.

"Are you ready to get back into bed?"

"Only if you're going to join me," McGarrett told her.

"I don't think you're in any shape to handle me, Sailor," Catherine told him.

"Want to bet?"

"No, but I don't want to be the one who has to explain how you popped your stitches."

"It might be worth hearing you try," McGarrett told her.

"I could always get your nurse to come help you."

"No, you'll do," he said and allowed her to help him out of the chair. He leaned on her until she shifted enough so he could sit on the edge of the bed.

Catherine stared into his eyes, easily reading the pain in them as she helped him lay back on the bed. She didn't say a word, but pointed to the little box that would deliver the medication as she placed the bag of IV solution on the pole beside his bed. She heard the sound of the pump kicking in and knew it wouldn't take long for it too work.

"Cat?"

"I'm right here."

"I know," McGarrett said and scooted over. "I'd rather you were right here."

"What if someone comes in?"

"We're both adults," the injured SEAL told her. "What's the worst they can do...kick us out? Hell, I'd happily agree to that."

Catherine smiled and walked around the bed so that she could put up the rail. Once it was in placed she walked back to her original position and sat on the edge of the bed before lying back and placing her arm under his head. "Go to sleep, Sailor."

"Hmm," McGarrett mumbled, drinking in the scent of her as he snuggled against her body.

Catherine stayed where she was, watching him as he gave into his body's demands for sleep. She lifted her arm and gently stroked his shoulder and knew she could die happy as long as she was in his arms. She looked toward the door as it opened and a nurse walked in.

"How is he?"

"Worn out," Catherine answered honestly.

"I need to start his antibiotics and take his vitals," Cassie said.

"He's only just fallen asleep...can you do it later?"

"I'll come back in an hour, and I'll leave word at the desk that you're not to be disturbed until I get back from my break, but if he wakes before then just buzz the desk," Cassie said as she started the medication.

"I will...thank you," Catherine said and watched her leave. She was grateful the woman had not sited hospital regulations to her and returned her attention to the man whose battered body was pressed up against her. God, she could easily lose herself in Steve McGarrett's virile body, but for now she was content just to hold him. She kissed his lips gently and heard a soft sigh as he tried to pull her closer.

TBC

Author's note-Well, just one more part to go and I will post it either tonight or tomorrow depending on how RL goes today. Thanks to all of you for the wonderful reviews...Winnie


	17. Chapter 17

Steve knew whose body was snuggled up against him, but didn't open his eyes. He had no idea how long he'd slept, but he didn't want to break the spell he was under. The fact that Catherine Rollins had stayed with him after everyone else had gone home told him she felt the same way about him as he did about her.

Steve heard her soft sigh and opened his eyes, smiling when he stared into hers. He didn't say a word as he covered her lips with his and felt as if he could spend the rest of his life in this position as long as Catherine Rollins stayed with him.

"How do you feel?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course."

"Tired, but a good kind of tired," McGarrett answered and reached for her arm when she tried to sit up. "I am cold though."

"Cold? Now why don't I believe that?"

"Come on, Cat, just a little longer."

"I wish I could, Sailor, but this girl has to get back to work and I already turned your nurse away twice," Catherine told him.

"When will you be back in port?"

"A couple of weeks and I'll expect a rare steak and a good wine," Catherine said and slid off the bed.

"You got it," McGarrett said and pulled her down until their lips met.

"I better go," she whispered against his mouth.

"Damn..."

"It won't be long and I'll take a week of my leave once you get released since it looks like you'll be out of commission for at least a month," Catherine told him.

"Now that sounds like a plan," McGarrett said and reluctantly released her hand. He watched as she picked up her bag and turned toward him.

"Later, Sailor."

"You better believe it," McGarrett said and wished he could go after her, but he knew he wouldn't get very far in hospital issue pajamas and attached to an IV pole.

"Hello, Commander, I just wanted to make sure you were all right," Cassie told him.

"I'm good, Cassie."

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"Coffee?"

"I think they just made a new pot in the nurse's lounge...how do you take it?"

"Just a little cream."

"And here I thought you were a coffee black kind of man," Cassie said with a hint of a smile. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Would you like to get out of that bed for a while?"

"Now that sounds like a plan," McGarrett said. He waited for Cassie to return with the coffee and she helped him into the chair beside the window. "Thanks."

"You're welcome...buzz the desk if you need anything."

"I will," the injured man said and sipped the coffee, surprised at how good it tasted. He glanced at the small tree on the table in the corner and knew he was going to return the favor no matter what it took. Danny and Grace had made sure he had Christmas even though he was stuck in here. He was going to see to it that they got a white Christmas, even if it was a week or two late.

**5050505050 **

Steve McGarrett spent the next week in the hospital, and during that time he enlisted the help of anyone with two legs to help him with his plan. It was New Years Eve and Dr. Asai had finally agreed to discharge him as long as he took it easy and didn't show his face at Five-O headquarters.

Chin and Kono were at his house helping Mary set things up for the party that would start as soon as Danny and Grace brought him home from the hospital. Steve had no idea where they'd found the extra machine, but for today there'd be 'snow' falling outside the windows of his home. It didn't matter what this cost, it just mattered that Danny and Grace enjoyed themselves.

Mary had called to tell him that the tree was up, the wind machine in place and that for all intents and purposes winter had come to a small piece of Hawaii.

Steve was dressed in cargo pants and a white t-shirt. He'd also have to use a cane to keep the weight off his leg because Asai wasn't pleased with how the wound was healing. The wound in his side was much better and most of the stitches were gone. There were still headaches, but nothing serious enough to keep him in the hospital any longer.

"Uncle Steve, Danno's talking to the nurse and said I should tell you we're ready to go," Grace said as she bounded across the room toward him.

"Hi, Grace, are you still going to be my doctor?"

"Yes, I am. I even brought my doctor's kit and Danno said he'd get me a real working stethoscope," Grace told him.

"Commander, Detective Williams has your scripts and follow up appointments," Cassie told him as she pushed a wheelchair into the room. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready," McGarrett said and reluctantly sat in the chair as Williams entered the room and picked up his overnight bag with one hand while Grace took his other one. The drive to his home was filled with stories from Grace about her friends and the fact that she'd talked to her mom and Stan the day before. She missed them, but she was glad she was getting to spend so much time with her father.

"Grace would you hold Steve's cane until he gets out?" Danny asked and hurried around the side of the car to help McGarrett out.

"Sure," Grace said and smiled when she spotted Kono standing in the door of the house. "I'm going to be Uncle Steve's doctor. He needs to get lots of rest."

"Yes, he does," Kono agreed and stood back to allow McGarrett to enter his home. The tree was decorated with McGarrett family heirlooms and some newer decorations added by Steve. The house was ready for the surprise as soon as everyone was settled in the living room.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Williams asked once he'd settled McGarrett in his favorite chair.

"Grace, why don't you open the blinds?" Steve said as Chin, Kamekona, and Mary joined them.

Grace walked to the window and frowned when she heard what sounded like strong wind blowing outside, but it had been sunny and beautiful when they got here. She pressed the button and gasped in surprise when she looked outside. "Danno, it's snowing!"

"What?" Williams asked and turned away from the tray of refreshments Mary carried.

"It's snowing...it's really snowing!" the child yelled excitedly and laughed as her father lifted her into his arms.

"It can't be," Williams said and stare in awe at the snow blowing across the window. He placed Grace back on the floor and felt the excitement as she touched her fingers to the glass. "How?"

"Santa owed me a favor," McGarrett answered with a grin. The look on Danny and Grace's face was perfect and made the last week seem inconsequential compared to the joy in their eyes.

"Steve..."

"Don't ask, Danno, just enjoy," McGarrett said as the wind howled outside.

"It's just like Jersey," Williams said and smiled when he looked at the postcards scattered around the room. Some were on the table, and some were tucked into the Christmas tree branches, while others had been placed in picture frames.

"I wanted to make you feel like you were home," Steve told him.

"I am home," Williams said and turned to McGarrett. "If a man is really measured by the friends he keeps then I'm the richest SOB in the world."

"That goes both ways," McGarrett said and relaxed in the warmth of the people surrounding him. It had taken some doing, but for now he'd brought Williams a little piece of home and the look on his face spoke more than any words could ever convey.

"Thanks, Steve," Williams said.

"Welcome home, Danno," McGarrett told him as his Ohana gathered around him, relaxing while the snow continued to fall outside the window.

**5050505050 **

"I know Garcia was a piece of crap, but he was the family's connection not only in Mexico, but in Hawaii."

"What can you do, Antonio, the bastard is dead."

"I know he's dead, but the man who killed him isn't."

"You still hold a grudge against McGarrett?"

"My father blamed me for the loss of a trusted drug route, of course I still hold a grudge."

"You should be careful...Wo Fat has ties to McGarrett."

"Wo Fat does not scare me. I will redeem myself in my father's eyes and bring him Steve McGarrett's head on a silver platter."

"Just be careful, Antonio, I would hate to hear you were guest of honor at your own necktie party."

"I am always careful," Antonio Juarez said and ended the call to Manuel Ortiz. He leaned back in his chair and sipped his Margarita, and knew it would soon be time to make his father proud.

The End!


End file.
